


Come On Make Me Feel Alive

by annie1017



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M, Roadtrip!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:51:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 20,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6229975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annie1017/pseuds/annie1017
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kris just got dumped, Lu Han wants to party his way across the country, Yixing needs to understand the world, and Tao thinks his friends are all crazy. Oh, and they go on a summer road trip in a brand new Porsche Cayenne.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> crossposted on LJ, cowritten by eexiee; some chapters are shorter than others and everything culminates in vegas

The first time that they tell their roadtrip plans to an outsider, Chen almost pees his pants from laughing.  
  
“That’s a terrible idea,” he wheezes, barely able to get his words out. “You four? In a car together, traveling for two months? You’d kill each other!”  
  
“But we get along well,” Yixing protests mildly. “We’re best friends!”  
  
The six guys are relaxed in Lu Han’s living room in a Park Avenue penthouse. The carpets are imported from Morocco, and the wallpaper is lined with specks of gold.  
  
“You guys won’t even be able to decide what music to play in the car,” Xiumin scoffs. “Kris will want to listen to rap, Lu Han will want top 40 pop music, Yixing will want indie music, and Tao – Taozi will want silence.”  
  
Lu Han sighs, but shrugs. “Headphones?”  
  
Chen ponders the idea for a moment, then turns to Kris. “Hey, I know you were a little upset before, but I don’t think -”  
  
“It’s a great idea,” Kris interrupts. “I could do with some fresh air, a change of scenery after…after…”  
  
“The lying two-faced bitch?” Chen supplies.  
  
There is a sharp intake of breath and a smack on the arm from Lu Han, but Kris nods. Yes, he thinks, that did describe his ex-girlfriend rather well. They had been together for almost eight months before she had cheated on him and then stomped all over his heart.  
  
“It’s the perfect opportunity for Kris to get over her,” Lu Han adds excitedly. “He can have a girl in every city and - ”  
  
“Not everyone wants to screw everything he sees, man,” Kris replies, tossing a cushion at Lu Han’s face.  
  
Yixing rolls his eyes. “Some of us just wants to see more of the world, you know?”  
  
“That’s cute, Xing,” Lu Han says, condescendingly. “Adorable, really. I’m going to party my way to California and it’s going to be a blast.”  
  
Xiumin frowns, and picks up his soda from the table, “What are you guys going to drive?”  
  
“My car,” Kris replies immediately.  
  
Again, Chen starts to laugh. “Four rich city boys in a new Porsche Cayenne driving across the country? Sounds like a horror movie, one where you guys get killed by a bloodthirsty cannibal in the middle of Wisconsin.”  
  
Lu Han shakes his head. “We have Tao,” he says, shrugging. “Any serial killer can bring it on. In fact, I fear for his life.”  
  
Tao, the only member silent up until now, coughs loudly. “Is that all I’m good for?” he demands, annoyed. “To protect you three pretty boys from murderers?”  
  
Casually, Lu Han throws an arm around Tao’s neck and starts choking him. “Of course not, Taotao,” he chuckles as the bigger male easily throws him off in mock disgust.  
  
Chen and Xiumin exchange nervous looks, but the plan is set. Right after graduation from their respective universities, Kris, Lu Han, Yixing, and Tao, the four best friends, are embarking on a roadtrip across the country.


	2. New York, New York

Lu Han’s short temper lasts all of five minutes after the start of the road trip. There is traffic going out of the City, and they are at a standstill in the Lincoln Tunnel.  
  
“If you don’t shut up, I’m going to stuff you in the trunk,” Kris mutters gruffly as Lu Han makes another anguished sound.  
  
Tao just looks nervously back and forth between the two older boys from the passenger seat.  
  
Heaving a sigh, Yixing pats Kris on the shoulder. “Focus on the road,” he says, soothingly, “and you, Lu Han, shut the hell up.”  
  
His best friend huffs, but does stop complaining.  
  
“Here,” Yixing says, pulling his iPad out of his bag. He hands it to Lu Han, and slumps back into his seat. They had gotten a late start out of the city, and had a lengthy drive to their first stop. He puts his forehead up against the cool glass window, and gazes out into the tunnel, seemingly endless.  
  
“Will we get to Princeton in time for dinner?” Tao asks, eyeing the GPS on the dashboard dubiously.  
  
“Yeah, for sure,” Kris replies. “We’re meeting Sehun for dinner, right?”  
  
“Uh...I don’t think it’s dinner,” Lu Han sniggers, eyes not leaving the iPad. “I’m pretty sure it’s only going to be the biggest party of the summer.”  
  
“What are you doing?” Yixing asks, peeking over. He rolls his eyes upon seeing the screen, and give Lu Han a rough shove. “Candy Crush Saga? Really?”’  
  
Lu Han shakes him off, and continues on about things he has heard about the summer kickoff bash they were attending that night.  
  
Yixing tunes out the talk about the party, and focuses on the lights in the tunnel and the soft R&B over the car radio. Ten minutes later, the emerge from the tunnel, and start moving away from the City. Yixing turns his head back and watches the cityscape get further and further away.  
  
“It’s going to be a great summer,” Lu Han mutters, and Yixing jumps in surprise. The other boy has put aside the iPad, and is instead watching Yixing.  
  
Feeling surprisingly more reassured, Yixing nods. He is ready for the adventure of a lifetime.


	3. Princeton, NJ

They get to Princeton, New Jersey a little after eight. A slight breeze has cooled down the summer heat, and the boys roll into town with all the windows down. Sehun is waiting with pizza and a big smile.  
  
“The party won’t start for a few hours and I figured you’d be hungry,” he says, waving them into the temporary apartment that he is occupying for summer classes.  
  
“Thanks, brat,” Kris replies, affectionately.  
  
Sehun is a year younger than the others, but they had all gone to high school together in the City. He looks a lot different than when Lu Han had last seen him over spring break. His light brown hair is now a plethora of colors-blue, blond, red, green, brown, purposely styled to look unstyled.  
  
“I think I kind of like this,” Lu Han says, reaching over to run a hand through Sehun’s new hair. The younger boy ducks under his arm, rolling his eyes.  
  
“I can’t believe you guys are driving all the way to California.” Sehun’s tone is wistful as he gazes at them. “I wish I could go with you guys instead of - uh - classes.”  
  
“You can go on your own soul searching trip after you graduation,” Kris laughs.  
  
Lu Han, for one, does not plan on doing any ‘soul searching.’ As he as far is concerned, this summer is all about the traveling, the good food, the parties, and the hook-ups. His soul, as far as he is concerned, has already been found.  
  
The Ivy League schools live by the motto “study hard, party hard.” Or rather, when bored boys with too much money, looking to kick summer off with a bang, get together to plan a party, they go all out. The house is covered with glitter and booze by the time they arrive, and people mingle in the yard, on the porch, in the backyard by the pool, and in the house.  
  
Lu Han ducks past a frat boy doing a kegstand on the front steps and grabs onto Tao’s arm. “Are you going to be the sober one tonight?” he asks. “One of us needs to be coherent enough to take the rest of us back to Sehun’s in one piece.”  
  
Tao lets out an exaggerated sigh and nods his head; he’s never been much of a drinker anyway.  
  
It takes Lu Han less than an hour to zero in on a slim, brunette girl with big eyes and an even bigger rack. Tao rolls his eyes when he sees them disappear upstairs together and gives his head a shake. At least he can count on Lu Han with his consistency when it came to parties. Whether his companion for the night is male or female, Lu Han always has a thing for small brunettes.  
  
“Why does he feel the need to hook up so much?” Tao asks mildly, turning to the person nearest to him.  
  
Yixing shrugs. “Lonely? I don’t really know.”  
  
“I think he has low self esteem and, I don’t know, he’s kind of dumb,” Sehun adds.  
  
Tao eyes him with an approving nod. “All of my friends are dumb,” he finishes.  
  
Lu Han returns less than an hour later with the buttons on his shirt done up incorrectly. Tao sighs, and quickly helps his friend get the right buttons in the right holes. They go on search of Kris and find him completely wasted and glued to Sehun, telling him all about his ex-girlfriend. Sehun is too drunk to understand anything and just nods and blinks. Yixing is snoozing next to them despite the loud party music, face planted on the armrest of the couch; someone has written ‘COLUMBIA SUX FYEAH PRINCETON’ on his arm in an orange sharpie.  
  
Tao takes this to mean that the night is over.


	4. Philadelphia, PA

Yixing opens his eyes to a pounding headache. He is curled up at the foot of one of Sehun’s couches, although he suspects that he had started the night on top of it. He stretches, and accidentally kicks Lu Han in the elbow. Tao peeks into the room upon hearing Lu Han’s groan, and gives them judging looks.  
  
“Breakfast in ten,” he says.  
  
“What time is it?” Yixing croaks, rolling over onto his stomach.  
  
“It’s almost noon,” Sehun replies, coming out of his room with a hand pressed up to his head. There is another low groan, and Yixing raises his head just high enough to see Kris on another couch on the other side of the room, looking just as dead.  
  
“Aspirin’s on the coffee table,” Tao calls.  
  
Sehun and Kris trudge over and take painkillers for the headache. They toss the pills and the water bottle to Yixing and head off toward the kitchen.  
  
It takes another two minutes for Yixing to open his eyes again. He uncaps the water bottles and tosses back two painkillers before handing them to Lu Han. The blond has bloodshot eyes and messy hair, eyeliner smudged all over his face.  
  
“You look like shit,” he says, conversationally.  
  
“Thanks, Xing,” Lu Han gumbles, eyeing Yixing over. “You don’t look so hot yourself right now. And I also think you sold out your own school, because that looks like your handwriting there.”  
  
Yixing looks down at his arm and sees the words “COLUMBIA SUX FYEAH PRINCETON” written on his arm. Although the words are smudged, it is still definitely recognizable as his handwriting.  
  
“I don’t want to move,” Yixing says, closing his eyes again. His whole body kind of hurts, and he doesn’t think he can hold down any food. “Actually, I don’t think I can move,” he adds.  
  
“It was fun though,” Lu Hans says. There is a beat of silence, and then they are both laughing.  
  
“Stop,” Yixing chokes out, “my head hurts. Stop laughing.”  
  
“Why don’t you stop?” Lu Han shoots back. He curls into the fetal position and clutches his stomach. Yixing isn’t even sure what is so funny anymore, but laughs anyway.  
  
“The dumbdumbs are at it again,” they hear Kris proclaim.  
  
“You’re a dumbdumb,” Tao replies.  
  
By the time they stop laughing, Yixing has managed to pull himself up to a sitting position next to Lu Han.  
  
“What did I do last night?” Lu Han asks, wincing as he also struggles up.  
  
Yixing gives him a long look. “Don’t you mean ‘who did I do last night’ instead?” he asks with a wicked grin.  
  
Lu Han reaches over to smack him, but Yixing is doubled over in laughter again.  
  
It takes another two hours for them to get on the road again. This time, Tao is driving, because everyone else is too hungover. It rains for the entire three hour drive to Baltimore, and they stop only in Philadelphia.  
  
“This city sucks,” Kris declares.  
  
Yixing rolls his eyes, because he knows that Kris is a diehard fan of the New York Giants and the sole reason he hates Philadelphia is because of the Eagles. His guess is proven correct when, several minutes later, Kris declares that this city is tolerable after all through a mouthful of Philly cheese steak.  
  
“Traitor,” Tao hisses.  
  
Kris’ only response is to shove more cheese steak at his face.


	5. Baltimore, MD

“Look, Xing, it’s you,” Lu Han cackles, pointing to a very sleepy looking octopus. Yixing watches it laze around its tank before turning to Lu Han with an expression not unlike the octopus’.  
  
“It’s not me,” he says, but Lu Han just laughs louder. Tao rolls his eyes as he heads towards the shark tanks. Kris trails behind him, and Tao doesn’t want to turn around because he doesn’t want to see Kris’ pout and hear for the fifth time that day how much his ex-girlfriend loves seahorses.  
  
“I don’t want to hear it, Kris,” Tao says before Kris can even say anything.  
  
“Tao...” Kris sounds so pitiful that Tao finally turns around in front of the Atlantic Coral Reef.  
  
“Kris, she cheated on you,” Tao reminds him. “She’s a horrible person and you deserve someone better than her. Also she thought it was okay to wear knee socks with Daisy Dukes, which it’s not.”  
  
Kris sighs dramatically. “I know, Taozi, but I really did love her, and I think she loved me too.”  
  
“Obviously not,” Tao says rudely, and a fish swims by behind him. “She didn’t care about you at all. Kris, I swear, you’ll meet someone new, someone better. Please get over her.”  
  
Kris watches the fish behind Tao swim by. He knows Tao is right, but somehow, his ex-girlfriend is too hard to forget. He knows she’s probably with that other guy right now, maybe even cheating on him too, but he can’t get her out of his head.  
  
“Kris, you’re moping again,” Lu Han says, coming up behind him. “Come on, just find someone to hook up with in the next city and it’ll be like the crazy bitch never even happened.”  
  
Yixing makes a tutting sound, and Kris turns to see that he’s now wearing an octopus hat. It shouldn’t be quite as funny as Kris finds it, but for some reason he’s laughing uncontrollably. Tao starts to chuckle too, and then Lu Han is laughing as well.  
  
“What?” Yixing asks, looking lost. “What’s so funny?”  
  
“Nothing,” Lu Han replies, patting his friend on the back. “Absolutely nothing.”


	6. Washington, DC

They really should have reconsidered trying to park anywhere in Georgetown, because it’s taken all of fifty minutes to finally find a parking spot on O Street.

“Finally,” Tao huffs, slamming the car door as he gets out of the front seat. “I’m dying of thirst. First stop is a grocery store.”

“But the cupcakes—”

“Lu Han, you saw the line,” Tao snaps, “it’s going to be at least a few hours until you get into the shop. I think a few extra minutes in the grocery store won’t hurt.”

“It could make a difference!” Lu Han protests, and finally Yixing steps in.

“Okay, Taotao, you go with Kris to the grocery store and I’ll wait in line with Lu Han. Deal?” Yixing proposes diplomatically.

“Deal,” Kris says, walking down the street with Tao on his heels. They drop Lu Han and Yixing off at the cupcake store (the line is almost two blocks long) and they continue down the street to Dean & DeLuca. “So, what are you going to drink?”

“Orangina. Sprite. Water. Lemonade. Beer, I don’t know,” Tao says. “Just something.” They step into the building, which looks more like a market than a grocery store, and it’s full of hipster college students and over-moneyed adults. It reminds Kris of home. Tao goes straight for the refrigerated section while Kris browses the impressive fruit selection.

Kris recognizes the Comme Des Garcons cardigan first, and then he proceeds to admire how tight the boy’s jeans are. Or, he does that until he realizes that he’s acting suspiciously like Lu Han, and then he goes for the boy’s face. He’s really something. Kris is sure that not even Lu Han is that pretty.

The boy notices Kris staring and he smiles back, shifting the bundle of organic parsley in his arms before approaching Kris. Kris’s heart nearly stops.

“I like your cardigan,” the boy says. “Comme Des Garcons Play, right?”

“Yeah, like yours,” Kris replies. “You like the brand?”

“It’s my favorite,” the boy smiles. “I’m Joonmyeon.” He holds out his hand and Kris shakes it with slightly too much enthusiasm.

“Kris,” Kris introduces himself.

“Oh, do you go to Georgetown too?” Joonmyeon asks.

“No,” Kris replies, “I just graduated from Yale. You go to Georgetown?”

“I’m starting grad school here in the fall,” Joonmyeon smiles. “I’m volunteering in the city right now.” Kris is about to open his mouth when Tao comes bounding up, stopping next to Kris with a giant bottle of Orangina in his hands.

“Oh, who’s your friend?” Tao asks, and Joonmyeon hardly even glances at Tao, which is somewhat of a rare occurrence. Kris has always been popular with girls, but Tao had been the one in their group of straight friends who got the interest from boys.

And then Kris remembers that he, too, is supposed to be in that group of straight friends. And that he’s just gotten out of a bad relationship. To take a random interest in a guy...it’s definitely not something Kris is quite ready for, in any case.

But then he turns back to Joonmyeon, who’s still looking up at him expectantly.

“Oh, Tao, this is Joonmyeon. Joonmyeon, this is my friend Tao. He and I and two other guys are taking a road trip across the country this summer,” Kris finally says, and Joonmyeon’s eyes widen.

“Wow,” Joonmyeon breathes. “So—so where’d you start?”

“New York,” Tao says, and Kris flinches momentarily before realizing that he really shouldn’t care which one of them replies to Joonmyeon. Joonmyeon smiles quickly before turning back to Kris.

“Are you staying here long?” Joonmyeon asks. Kris feels a pang of triumph as he realizes that Joonmyeon asked him specifically, and he’s got as long as you want on his tongue before he decides on something less clichéd.

“We’re here for like...a day. An afternoon? I don’t know,” Kris replies. “We’re just kind of going at our own pace.”

He sees Tao give him a sidelong glance before Tao bites his lip as he smirks, which he always does when he thinks he’s being sly.

“But we don’t really know our way around,” Tao adds, looking at Joonmyeon. “Do you know what we should see while we’re here?”

“Oh, oh, I could show you around if you want,” Joonmyeon replies, looking up at Kris.

“Yeah!” Kris says a little too quickly. “I mean, yeah, that would be great.”

He’s got a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, as if he’s realized that his mouth has just disobeyed his brain. His brain is telling him that this is a very bad idea, that he likes girls for God’s sakes and he’s going through the obligatory phase of solitude after a bad breakup.

And even as he’s thinking that, he can’t stop listening with rapt attention as Joonmyeon talks about D.C.

Tao grins as he turns away from Kris and Joonmyeon. “I’ll just go pay for my Orangina,” he says, but the other two are definitely not listening to him anymore.

Joonmyeon is telling Kris all about the Smithsonian and Congress, and Kris wants to listen more closely but it's hard when Joonmyeon's face is shining so bright. Kris mentally kicks himself because he really shouldn't be thinking of Joonmyeon under any sort of romantic light.

But he really can't help himself. Joonmyeon is small but not to the point of fragility. He's pretty but not to the point of feminine. He's a man—

And that's Kris's problem. Joonmyeon is a man. He's male, and Kris is also male, and Kris is not like Lu Han or Yixing which means that he is not interested in males.

And besides, he thinks, I'm getting over a breakup. I can't be thinking about anyone romantically right now, gender aside.

That thought doesn't stop him from wanting to learn more about Joonmyeon.

Joonmyeon buys his groceries which include organic parsley, organic carrots and a small bottle of spring water, and then they're standing on M Street deciding what to do.

"Should we get Yixing and Lu Han or should we just let them be?" Kris asks. Tao frowns, looking in the direction of Georgetown Cupcake. He bites his lip again before turning back to Kris and Joonmyeon.

"I'll go check on them. Once we get the cupcakes, we'll meet up with you two later. How does that sound?" Tao asks, and Kris knows he really shouldn't feel so giddy with excitement at the thought of being left alone with Joonmyeon.

"Is that okay?" he asks instead, looking down at Joonmyeon.

Joonmyeon nods vigorously. "Yeah, that's fine!" He exclaims, and Kris grins brightly.

"Okay, Taozi," Kris says, "call me when you guys have the cupcakes." Tao salutes him and walks off, leaving Kris and Joonmyeon blissfully alone.

"Well? What do you say we go to the White House first?" Joonmyeon asks.

"Sure," Kris says, and he's never been so tempted to hold a boy's hand.

One presidential mansion and three Smithsonian visits later, the sun is already going down and Tao still hasn't called.

Kris doesn't mind. He's holding Joonmyeon's groceries and walking close to him as they amble past the Smithsonian Castle.

"Hey, what are you going to do when you get to California?" Joonmyeon wonders.

"I don't know," Kris replies. "We've just been playing it by ear all this time."

"You should send me a picture of your glorious arrival," Joonmyeon jokes, but Kris doesn't have California on his mind.

Fuck it, he finally thinks.

"Do you want to come with us?" he blurts out.

"What?"

"I want you to—I mean, do you want to come with us?" he asks again, slower this time, but he's pretty sure Joonmyeon heard him.

"I have stuff to do," Joonmyeon says, looking up at the sky, but Kris gets the distinct feeling that Joonmyeon is torn.

"Only as far as Virginia Beach, then. And I'll pay for your train ticket back. Please, Joonmyeon?"

Joonmyeon has a sparkle in his eye.

"Fuck it, I could use an adventure. To Virginia Beach, then," Joonmyeon laughs.

Joonmyeon's laugh is perfect too.

"Awesome," Kris says, and he hopes he doesn't sound as excited as he is.

When he calls Tao to tell him that Joonmyeon's coming along, Tao sounds unsurprised and informs Kris that he's found the most fantastic pair of jeans at Zara and that Lu Han has already tried on seventeen shirts.

"Well, tell Lu Han and Yixing that Joonmyeon is coming with us," he tells Tao.

"They know, and they're happy that you've fallen in love at first sight," Tao replies.

"It's not—" Kris begins, but he stops because yeah, it kind of is.

"Meet us at the car," Tao says lazily before hanging up.

"How do they feel about me coming?" Joonmyeon asks.

"They're excited to meet you. Just so you know, if Lu Han flirts with you please just ignore him. Oh, and Yixing is a little spacey sometimes so you can ignore him too. Tao can get really sarcastic so—"

"Ignore him as well?" Joonmyeon grins amusedly. "Only pay attention to you, is that what you're saying?"

And that is exactly what Kris is saying.


	7. Virginia Beach, VA

After a long day at the beach, Lu Han is sporting a lobster-red sunburn while Tao has only gotten tanner. The three of them walk along the boardwalk as the sun sets.  
  
“Just imagine,” Yixing says dreamily, “when we’re in California, we’ll get to see the sunset over the water. Won’t that be beautiful?”  
  
“Yeah,” Lu Han sighs, “although Kris is going to be mopey.” The three of them look back at Kris and Joonmyeon, who are walking together several yards away. Joonmyeon’s talking about something and Kris is looking at him as if he can’t believe how lucky he is to have found someone like Joonmyeon.  
  
“Or not,” Yixing says, and Lu Han nods in agreement.  
  
“He’s definitely in love though,” Lu Han says.  
  
Tao scoffs, rolling his eyes dramatically. “How can he be?” he demands. “He met the guy two days ago.”  
  
Yixing laughs and pats Tao’s shoulder. “There’s this thing called love at first sight,” Yixing explains. “And I think it happened to Kris.”  
  
“But wait, Kris is straight, right?” Lu Han butts in, and Tao sighs as if Lu Han is the world’s biggest idiot.  
  
“You were supposedly straight until junior year of high school, remember?” Yixing reminds Lu Han gently. “And then that guy confessed to you and you decided to go out with him just for kicks.”  
  
“How did you remember that?” Tao demands. “You can’t even remember what you had for breakfast but you can remember Lu Han’s escapades from high school?”  
  
“It wasn’t him that made me bi,” Lu Han shrugs, ignoring Tao. “I’d always liked guys in the back of my mind.” Lu Han looks back at Kris and Joonmyeon. “Joonmyeon would be my type if his hair was brown instead of that reddish shade. Small brunettes are -”  
  
“We know,” Tao interrupts loudly, sounding annoyed that he’d been completely ignored. “You do realize that your ‘type’ includes Jessica from your anthropology class last semester, whom you hated. And that it also includes Chen, Xiumin and Yixing?” Lu Han nods.  
  
“I know, it’s -” he begins, but Yixing elbows him hard. Lu Han and Tao look at him to see where his gaze is directed, and it appears that Joonmyeon and Kris have stopped walking, and have instead taken to looking at each other.  
  
“Do you think...” Yixing starts.  
  
“Yeah,” Lu Han grins. “Kris is so getting some tonight.”  
  
“Gross,” Tao sneers. “That is not what Yixing meant.”  
  
“Guys,” Yixing interrupts. “Look.” They all turn back to their other friend only to see him kissing Joonmyeon insistently. Joonmyeon’s hands are fisting Kris’ shirt and although he has stand up on his tiptoes to reach Kris’ lips, he seems just as interested as Kris does.  
  
Tao turns away looking tired. “Okay, I guess maybe Kris is getting some tonight.”  
  
Kris takes a sip of wine and looks up at Joonmyeon. The dim lighting in the restaurant does nothing but accentuate Joonmyeon’s perfect face. I can do this, he thinks. How hard can having sex with a guy be? It’s basically the same as with a girl, just...not.  
  
“Kris, you realize that’s your second glass of wine, right?” Joonmyeon asks, looking amused.  
  
“I hold my alcohol well,” Kris remarks, thinking back to several days before when he’d gotten extremely drunk and woken up in Sehun’s apartment. “Kind of.”  
  
Joonmyeon laughs and takes a sip from his own glass. “If I didn’t know better I’d say you were nervous about something.”  
  
Kris coughs. “No,” he says quickly, “I’m not.” Joonmyeon laughs again, and Kris really really loves his laugh. Kris smiles at him. Joonmyeon leans over the table to grab another roll and Kris gets a peek at the milky skin underneath Joonmyeon’s shirt. It sends his mind reeling once again.  
  
He flags down the waiter and asks for yet another glass of wine. I can do this, he tells himself.  
  
The problem isn’t at all that he doesn’t want to. He does, with all his heart. He isn’t sure he’d ever wanted his ex-girlfriend this much. Joonmyeon is everything she lacked and more. He wants to make Joonmyeon happy, to make Joonmyeon feel good.  
  
But there is the sad fact that Joonmyeon is most likely far more experienced in the realm of homosexuality, and Kris doesn’t want to disappoint Joonmyeon. That is his biggest concern; he doesn’t want to disappoint or hurt Joonmyeon.  
  
Joonmyeon seems to be able to tell, too. “What are you nervous about?” he asks, putting a hand on top of Kris’. “You can tell me, you know. I’m not about to run away. Unless you tell me you’re a murderer, in which case I will probably run, and I hope you don’t hold that against me.”  
  
Kris laughs and his nervousness lessens slightly. “I...I’ve never done this before, but...I mean, it’s our last night together for who knows how long and I really like you. Just...yeah, you wanna...” he trails off, looking up at Joonmyeon with pleading eyes, hoping that he gets the message.  
  
Joonmyeon is blushing wildly, and Kris takes another sip of wine.  
  
“Yes,” Joonmyeon says quickly. “Yes, I want to.” Kris gulps down a particularly large mouthful of wine and realizes that his third glass is empty. “Are you sure?” Joonmyeon asks. “You drank a lot; I don’t want this to be because you’re drunk.”  
  
“I want to,” Kris says calmly. “I’m really not drunk, I promise.” Three glasses is just enough to get him relaxed and perhaps a little buzzed. He turns his hand over and takes Joonmyeon’s fingers in his own.  
  
“You don’t know how lucky I feel right now,” Joonmyeon admits.  
  
Kris chuckles. “I think I have some idea.”  
  
That evening, they step into their hotel room after bidding the other three a good night, and Kris takes Joonmyeon’s hand as they venture into the bedroom. They each sit on their respective sides, their fingers still intertwined.  
  
“I can’t believe I found you,” Kris says quietly. Joonmyeon squeezes his hand and scoots towards Kris.  
  
“We should thank our cardigans,” he says, pressing plush lips to Kris’ neck. Kris melts into the feeling of Joonmyeon’s breath hot against his collarbone, and he unconsciously places a possessive hand on Joonmyeon’s waist.  
  
“Kris, you seem nervous again,” Joonmyeon murmurs against Kris’ neck.  
  
“Well,” Kris admits, pulling away from Joonmyeon to look at him properly, “I’ve never done this with a guy before, and I don’t know, like...how it feels or what to do and admittedly I’m a little nervous since you obviously know what you’re doing.”  
  
Joonmyeon looks at Kris for a moment and laughs cutely. “Are you saying that you’re scared to take it? Kris, look at us. Obviously I’m going to be the one taking it.”  
  
Kris looks at Joonmyeon in surprise, since he hadn’t really expected that. Joonmyeon’s look softens and he kisses Kris quickly.  
  
“It means a lot that you were willing to, though,” Joonmyeon says quietly. “I’ll make sure everything is done right, okay? You don’t have to worry.” Kris relaxes as Joonmyeon kisses the tension away. Kris slips his hands under Joonmyeon’s shirt and he’s not slow in removing it.  
  
“I wasn’t expecting these,” Kris says, trailing a finger along the lines of a faintly-defined six-pack. Joonmyeon laughs and his muscles tighten. Kris splays his hand out on Joonmyeon’s stomach, noticing how small Joonmyeon’s pale body is against his long fingers.  
  
“Let’s see how many times I surprise you tonight,” Joonmyeon says, and then he blushes as he realizes just how cheesy that sounds.  
  
“I’m looking forward to it,” Kris chuckles, and he helps Joonmyeon do away with his shirt, too. Joonmyeon pauses to admire Kris’ body, and Kris feels a pang of pride and confidence rush through his system. He pulls Joonmyeon towards him, so that Joonmyeon’s back is to Kris’ chest. He kisses Joonmyeon’s neck while he teases Joonmyeon’s nipples between his thumb and forefinger, relishing in the small stifled whines escaping Joonmyeon’s throat.  
  
“Kris,” Joonmyeon breathes heavily.  
  
“Hm?” Kris asks, one hand trailing down to dip into Joonmyeon’s pants. And then he falters, for a moment. He’s never touched a cock other than his own, and he doesn’t know how to make it good for Joonmyeon.  
  
“Kris,” Joonmyeon says, his voice steadying a bit. “I don’t care how you touch my dick; it’ll feel good no matter what, okay? So stop worrying.”  
  
Kris kisses Joonmyeon’s neck again, his confidence renewed, and he pushes his fingers past the waistband of Joonmyeon’s pants. Joonmyeon lets out a sigh of relief and it’s only then that Kris notices that Joonmyeon is nervous too.  
  
“I want this, you know,” Kris murmurs in Joonmyeon’s ear, and Joonmyeon bristles. “I want this as much as you do. You don’t need to worry either.” He wraps his fingers around Joonmyeon’s cock and pulls, hoping that Joonmyeon will react favorably.  
  
Favorable is an understatement. Joonmyeon takes a sharp intake of breath and lets it out in a high whine. Kris continues flicking his wrist just right until Joonmyeon is squirming.  
  
“Just - can we...” Joonmyeon trails off. He removes Kris’ hand carefully and shimmies out of his pants before reaching for the button on Kris’.  
  
“Wait,” Kris says, and anxiety flashes in Joonmyeon’s eyes. “We - we need lube, right?” Joonmyeon closes his eyes and smiles.  
  
“Yeah,” he says. “There’s Vaseline in my bag in the bathroom.” Kris gets up to get it and when he comes back, he has a perfect view of Joonmyeon’s body stretched across the spacious hotel bed.  
  
He slips back on top of the bed and uncaps the container of Vaseline, starting to coat his fingers liberally. He hopes Joonmyeon doesn’t notice how nervous he is, but it’s not likely because Joonmyeon had noticed every time so far.  
  
“I can do it, Kris,” Joonmyeon says. Before Kris can protest, Joonmyeon gently takes the container out of Kris’ hands and coats his fingers. Kris watches as Joonmyeon’s fingers disappear between his spread legs and he takes a deep breath. Joonmyeon’s breath hitches a little as he presses his own fingers into his body, but Kris isn’t watching Joonmyeon work himself open. He’s watching the expression on Joonmyeon’s face, blissful and full of anticipation. Kris finds himself wanting to cause the expression, to do more than just watch.  
  
So he covers two fingers with Vaseline and reaches around Joonmyeon, pressing a digit alongside Joonmyeon’s own. Joonmyeon’s eyes bolt open.  
  
“C-can I?” Kris asks, and Joonmyeon nods slowly. Kris pushes past the ring of muscle and it’s impossibly hot inside Joonmyeon. Joonmyeon leans against Kris’ shoulder as Kris inserts another finger, regulating his breathing as best as he can. Kris pumps his fingers in time with Joonmyeon’s, scissoring ever so slightly so as not to hurt Joonmyeon when the time comes.  
  
Finally they pull their fingers out, and Kris kisses Joonmyeon languidly before Joonmyeon pushes Kris back onto the bed.  
  
Kris lays there in surprise, and before he knows it, Joonmyeon is straddling him, putting a condom on Kris’ cock and lubing it up.  
  
“Ready?” Joonmyeon asks.  
  
“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Kris wonders, and Joonmyeon blushes. He takes hold of Kris’ cock and slowly lowers himself onto it. Even after four fingers, Joonmyeon’s body is tight and hot around Kris. It’s nothing like Kris has ever felt before.  
  
He puts his hands on Joonmyeon’s hips and looks up at Joonmyeon, whose pink face is now covered in a thin sheen of sweat. “Okay?” he asks, and Joonmyeon smiles down at him.  
  
“Great,” he replies breathily, grinding against Kris.  
  
When he comes, it’s the most fantastic experience he’s ever had. His vision and mind both go blank for a moment before everything refocuses, and then Joonmyeon comes and Kris falls in love all over again the way Joonmyeon lets everything out with a moan.  
  
Joonmyeon pulls himself off of Kris and collapses against his body, and Kris finds that he doesn’t ever want to let Joonmyeon go.  
  
“So?” Joonmyeon asks sleepily. “How was it?”  
  
“The best,” Kris replies, pulling Joonmyeon close and kissing him quickly. “The absolute best.”


	8. Charlotte, NC

Kris finally wakes up as they drive into Charlotte, and Lu Han is the first to pounce.  
  
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” he says in the most obnoxious voice possible. “You were pretty much dead to the world after we dropped Joonmyeon off at the train station. So...tell us everything! Are you converted?”  
  
Kris merely rubs his eyes. “What?” he asks. “Converted?”  
  
“I think he’s asking if you are now into men,” Tao says from the driver’s seat, and Yixing turns around to see how Kris responds.  
  
Kris shrugs. “I’m into Joonmyeon,” he replies. Lu Han grins like an idiot.  
  
“How is he in bed?” Lu Han wonders. “How was your first time with a guy, huh?”  
  
“Lu Han, don’t pester him,” Yixing says, but he too looks curious. Kris smiles as he reminisces about the previous night. Joonmyeon had been perfect, and when he woke up with Joonmyeon in his arms, he felt like he owned the world.  
  
Tao chuckles. “You’re smiling your creepy smile again.” Kris meets Tao’s eyes in the rearview mirror and for the first time in a while, Kris feels like Tao might be a little proud of him.  
  
“I’m happy,” Kris replies simply. “I’m really happy.”  
  
“There you go,” Yixing says, staring pointedly at Lu Han as if to tell him not to ask any more questions. Yixing turns back towards the front of the car, clearing his throat awkwardly, but only Tao notices, since Lu Han is too busy pestering Kris for more details.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Tao asks, driving down the streets carefully.  
  
“Kris found his passion,” Yixing responds, sounding a little wistful.  
  
Tao slows down at a stoplight but it turns green right away and he continues to drive. “You’ll find yours, Xing, don’t worry.” He turns back to the road and Yixing is momentarily forgotten.  
  
Yixing's not sure he'll find his passion. How can he when he's been pressured into becoming an engineering major? He can't just drop hundreds of thousands of dollars and four years of torturous studying just because he doesn't like engineering.  
  
And yet, he can't help but think about just how much he dreads the end of the summer. Because that means finding a job, an engineering job, which he's guaranteed to hate solely because it's engineering. And he'll have to work the same type of job until he retires. After this summer, his life is going to be one huge disappointment.  
  
More than anything, Yixing wants to dance. He's always loved dance, and he'd been a member of Columbia's dance team. While he danced, that was when he felt truly happy.  
  
But of course, he can't dance, because he has a bachelor's degree in engineering so he needs to do engineering.  
  
He's pulled from his thoughts when Tao pulls the key out of the ignition. “We’re here, guys. Go frolic to your hearts’ content.”  
  
“NASCAR Hall of Fame!” Lu Han cries, jumping out of the car and pulling out a map. “Come on, guys, you want to see cars and races, right? Xing, you wanna come, right?”  
  
Yixing laughs and Tao sighs as if he’s dealing with a bunch of children. “Yes,” Yixing replies. “Come on, Taozi. Come on, Kris, let’s go see some cars.”  
  
Lu Han lets out a whoop and as they head toward their destination, Yixing can’t help but wonder which city will bring him his passion. For all he knows, perhaps NASCAR is his calling.


	9. Atlanta, GA

Tao insists on playing tourist all day in Atlanta, so they humor him. For the first day, the tour the World of Coca-Cola and the CNN Center, and then spend the rest of the day exploring the High Museum of Art.  
  
“Lame,” Lu Han mutters under his breath as he glares are a marble statue. “Who is impressed by this when we have the Met?”  
  
Yixing kind of has to agree. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is far more impressive than any other they can possibly visit in the United States.  
  
Yixing and Kris want to stay in and relax in the hotel spa tha night, but Lu Han insists on going out.  
  
“We’re going to Six Flags tomorrow,” Tao whines. “We need to relax and rest with a nice massage and a soak in the jacuzzi.”  
  
Lu Han, however, shakes his head. “Just a drink,” he pleads. “We won’t stay out too long.”  
  
“How about we just hit the hotel bar?” Yixing suggests.  
  
Again, Lu Han shakes his head. “We’re barely two streets away from the nightclubs,” he says. “Let’s just go.”  
  
And because it’s Lu Han, and Lu Han can get away with almost anything with his pout, they all give in with a lot of grumbling.  
  
“I kind of think Lu Han might be the devil,” Tao mutters under his breath. Yixing kind of has to agree.  
  
“Wait, so are you even going try and pick someone up at the club tonight or are you and Joonmyeon exclusive now?” Lu Han asks, poking Kris in the back.  
  
Yixing watches as a sappy smiles appears over Kris’ face. “We’re exclusive,” he replies, happily. “Georgetown has a great law school too, you know? I think I’d like it in D.C.”  
  
Lu Han makes a fake retching sound. “Ew, commitment,” he grumbles,“gross.”  
  
The Atlanta nightlife suits Yixing’s tastes. The club is full when they make their way in, but the bar is relatively quiet. Yixing heads to the dance floor immediately, but soon finds that he is too tired from the day’s activities to dance much. Instead, they all find spots at the bar and order a round of shots.  
  
“Is it weird that I haven’t felt homesick yet, not even once?” Tao muses out loud.  
  
Yixing shakes his head. “I haven’t really missed New York that much either,” he replies.  
  
The guy sitting near them at the bar turns around upon hearing that. “Did you guys say New York?” he asks, curiously. “Sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing.”  
  
Lu Han takes one look at the guy, categorizes him as a small, gorgeous brunette, and starts fluttering his eyelids. “We’re from New York City,” he says, leaning forwards to offer the guy a clear view down the front of his tank top. “Hi, my name is Lu Han, and these are my friends, Yixing, Tao, and Kris. We’re road-tripping across the country.”  
  
“Baekhyun,” the guy replies. His eyes had also fastened onto Lu Han immediately. “I’m originally from Hoboken, but I’m here in Atlanta visiting family.”  
  
“What a coincidence!” Lu Han gushes, shooting Baekhyun a dazzling smile.  
  
“Are you guys all classmates?” Baekhyun asks. “Lu Han must be the youngest, right?”  
  
Everybody but Tao laughs. “I’m the youngest,” he growls, annoyed.  
  
“Ah, but Lu Han is just so cute.” At that, Lu Han practically glows, and Yixing knows that he is taking Baekhyun back to the hotel that night.  
  
Tao, however, is still unamused. “Bbuing bbuing, motherfucker,” he says tonelessly. “I’m cute, too.”  
  
Baekhyun is no longer paying attention, because Lu Han has his hand on his arm and is pulling him to the dance floor.  
  
“You guys can head back to the hotel without me after you finish your drinks,” Lu Han calls over his shoulders.  
  
Kris just sighs as the pair disappears into the crowd.  
  
“Ready to go back?” Tao asks. “It’s still not too late for us to hit the spa.”  
  
Kris nods, and pays for the drinks. Yixing gulps down the rest of his gin and tonic and gets up the follow the other two toward the exit. He, for one, is ready for some quality jacuzzi time.  
  
Lu Han takes one look at the Dare Devil Dive at Six Flags Over Georgia the next days and nopes really hard.  
  
“That thing will fucking kill me,” he says, backing away slowly. “There is no way I’m going on that.”  
  
Tao just looks at Yixing. “He’s your best friend,” he says, sounding pained. “Fix him.”  
  
Yixing sighs, and holds his hands out for Tao’s bag. “You and Kris go,” he says begrudgingly. “I’ll wait with the brat.”  
  
Lu Han at least has the decency to buy Yixing an overpriced frozen strawberry lemonade as they wait. “Thanks, Xing,” Lu Han sings, blinking with fake innocence.  
  
Yixing just shakes his head and sighs again.


	10. Mountainville, GA

Tao puts in a call to their friends back in the City as they drive away from Atlanta. It is three bajillion degrees outside, but the inside of the luxury car is at a steady sixty-five.  
  
“You’re all still alive?” Chen asks, voice earsplittingly loud over the speakers.  
  
“Hey, fuck you too,” Lu Han calls back from the back seat.  
  
There is laughter in the background from Xiumin and a second later, his voice appears. “Where are you guys now?”  
  
Kris’ eyes flit to the GPS on his dashboard for a quick second. “Georgia,” he replies shortly. “We’re on route 85.”  
  
“Where to?”  
  
“I have relatives who own a peach orchard not too far from here. We’re going to spend a few days on their farm,” Tao replies.  
  
“Wait, did you say farm?” Lu Han’s arms wrap themselves around Tao’s neck and start to tighten. “Did. You. Just. Say. Farm?”  
  
Tao flails and smacks Kris in the face, causing the car to swerve dangerously into the next lane.  
  
“Pipe down, Marilyn,” Kris growls, getting the Cayenne back under control. “I don’t want to die today.”  
  
Yixing takes it as his cue to drag his pouting best friend back into his seat.  
  
Tao’s family own a peach orchard, a farm, and a bed & breakfast. They arrive a little later than previously planned, and go straight up to the front desk.  
  
“Huang Zitao, is that you?” The girl behind the counter, no more than five years younger than the rest of them, latches onto Tao’s neck in a bear hug. Her hair was short, bleached to a light platinum blonde.  
  
Tao bats her away, introducing her as Amber, one of his bratty little cousins.  
  
“Little?” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. “I’m not little anymore.” She eyes the other three quickly, before deciding that Yixing was indeed her favorite. “Let’s go, dimple-boy,” she says, patting him on the shoulder. “I’ll show you to your rooms.”  
  
  
Everyone but Lu Han decides to go out to the orchard the next day. Tao and Kris are excited about picking peaches, and Yixing is excited about eating the peaches. Lu Han, on the other hand, flat out refuses.  
  
“How very manly of you,” Amber scoffs as she prepares to leave with the other three.  
  
Lu Han just glares and slinks into the kitchen.  
  
By day two, Lu Han is too bored to stay by himself at the bed & breakfast. With a whole lot of complaining, he slathers on three layers of sunscreen and ventures out with the others. He and Amber tease each other the whole time, but he survives, to his own surprise.  
  
“I think you tanned,” Amber says, poking Lu Han on the shoulder.  
  
Lu Han lets out a shriek of horror as the others all start laughing.  
  
“I was just kidding,” Amber chortles, ducking under Tao’s arm as Lu Han reaches out to strangle her.  
  
That night, they make peach cobbler and eat it with ice cream out on the upper balcony. The setting sun leaves a hazy, orange glow over the horizon, and Lu Han turns comment on the sight. The phrase is caught in his throat, however, when he sees that Yixing is already looking at him, eyes twinkling.  
  
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Lu Han says.  
  
Yixing doesn’t look away. “Yeah,” he replies softly. “Beautiful.”


	11. New Orleans, LA

When they make their way into a New Orleans hotel, the lobby is bustling and the staff seems frazzled.  
  
“Maybe it’s for the crawfish festival,” Yixing wonders, and Lu Han punches him in the shoulder.  
  
“What crawfish festival?” he asks, rolling his eyes at Yixing. “Seriously, I think you’re just making things up now. Why would they have a festival for tiny lobsters, huh?”  
  
Tao appears behind them making an annoyed noise. “Guys, come on, let’s get some rooms and get on with it. I’m not feeling well and I want to sleep.” He turns around to face Kris, who’s typing furiously on his phone, paying the other three no attention at all.  
  
“Kris,” Tao says. “Kris!”  
  
“What?” Kris asks, looking up. He looks around briefly and when there seems to be no emergency, he goes back to his phone.  
  
“Probably texting Joonmyeon,” Lu Han offers. “Personally I am cringing at the thought of being committed to one person.”  
  
“We know,” Tao and Yixing say at the same time, and Tao and Lu Han both look at Yixing because Yixing has never said anything about Lu Han’s habits before. Yixing looks confused, though, so they both drop it and Tao makes his way to the concierge.  
  
“Yes sir, can I help you?” the concierge asks, looking slightly flustered at all the people in the lobby.  
  
“We’d like to book four single rooms for two nights, please,” Tao says, and the concierge nods, looking down at the computer to book the rooms. She quickly looks up again with a grimace.  
  
“I’m sorry, we’re almost completely booked because of the crawfish festival,” she says politely, and Lu Han turns to Yixing, surprised, but Yixing isn’t paying attention at all. “But we do have two single rooms with full beds and one single room with a king-sized bed, so you could have two people in the one room and the other two rooms with one person each, if that suits you.”  
  
“We could go to another hotel,” Kris suggests, looking up from his phone, but Tao shakes his head vehemently.  
  
“We can make do,” he says. “Nose game for who gets the double beds.” Kris and Tao are quick to put their fingers on their noses, and Lu Han misses it by a split second. Yixing, on the other hand, has still not noticed that any sort of game has started.  
  
Lu Han sighs but doesn’t protest, turning to Yixing. “You and I can share a bed, right? It’s not a problem. It’s like sleepovers when we were in elementary school.”  
  
“We’re sharing a bed?” Yixing asks, looking confused.  
  
“Yeah, Xing, you and I have to share a king bed because the hotel doesn’t have four single rooms,” Lu Han explains as Tao hands the concierge his credit card. “It’s not a problem right?”  
  
“No,” Yixing replies slowly.  
  
“Good,” Tao snaps, “because I’m fucking exhausted and I’m sure as hell not going to sleep with either of you.”  
  
“And I have a boyfriend now,” Kris adds.  
  
“Yeah,” Lu Han rolls his eyes. “Come on, let’s put our stuff in our rooms so that we can go party.”  
  
And a few hours later, they do go partying. Lu Han is in his element, buzzed by two mint juleps and a heavy beat.  
  
“Clubbing is the same everywhere,” Tao complains, sipping at a New Orleans Hurricane. “I don’t understand why he likes this so much.”  
  
Kris chuckles. “Come on, Taozi, live a little. Go find a nice girl to dance with. There are plenty of hot girls here and I’m sure you could take your pick of them.”  
  
Tao scoffs. “I’m not interested in a one night stand,” he says, and he looks at Kris pointedly.  
  
“Joonmyeon was not a one night stand,” he replies. Yixing looks up from his Appletini (which Lu Han had made fun of endlessly) and sighs loudly. “He wasn’t!” Kris persists, but Yixing just looks confused.  
  
“Who isn’t what?” he asks, and Tao turns to him.  
  
“Do you approve of Lu Han doing this?” he demands. “Kris thinks Lu Han is fine. You don’t think he’s fine, do you?”  
  
“Fine?” Yixing asks, and Tao’s eyes flick to Yixing’s bright green drink before he makes eye contact again.  
  
“Are you drunk?” he wonders.  
  
“No,” Yixing replies, and he doesn’t sound drunk at all. Tao’s expression softens.  
  
“Are you feeling okay?” Tao asks, and Yixing nods. Tao smiles and turns back to Kris.  
  
“I’m pretty sure Yixing thinks Lu Han is fine. So I will agree with you for now.”  
  
Tao gets up and wanders onto the dance floor, where a tall redhead smiles at him. She seems Tao’s type, so Kris thinks Tao is going to be happy. Meanwhile, Lu Han has a tiny brunette with curly hair grinding against him, and he seems extremely into it. He figures “to each his own” and doesn’t think about it further.  
  
Yixing’s martini glass is empty.  
  
A busty blonde girl sidles up to Kris and Yixing watches her ask him to buy her a drink. He smiles and tells her that he’s taken, and she looks a little put-off before retreating.  
  
“I’m tired,” Yixing finally says, turning away from the view of the dance floor. “Do you mind if I go back to the hotel?” Kris looks at him for a moment.  
  
“No, of course not. I’ll let Lu Han and Taozi know you’ve gone. Are you going to be ok?”  
  
“Yeah,” Yixing responds. He’ll be fine.  
  
Back at the hotel, he can’t fall asleep. He keeps thinking of the blaring music and the bright green concoction and the way that girl had been gyrating her hips against Lu Han’s. He thinks about Tao’s dissatisfaction with hookups and Kris’s smile when he’d told the girl he was taken. He thinks about how on Earth he’s going to find his passion.  
  
Kris texts him at twelve-thirty saying he’s back in his room, and Yixing gets a text from Tao at one saying the same thing.  
  
Lu Han doesn’t come back that night, and Yixing vaguely thinks that a king-sized bed really is too big for one person as he drifts off to a fitful sleep.


	12. Millersburg, MS

They are somewhere in Mississippi, on Route 55 north, when they run out of gas.  
  
“Where the hell are we?” Tao asks, looking around.  
  
“I think I saw a sign for some state park about three miles back,” Kris replies.  
  
“Three miles?” Lu Han pales. “I am not walking three miles anywhere.”  
  
“Let me check if I have any service,” Tao mumbles pulling out his phone. A moment later, he sighs. “Nope.”  
  
“Oh no,” Lu Han groans. “It’s going to be like what Chen predicted; we’re going to get murdered by serial killers or eaten by cannibals, only in the middle of Mississippi instead of Wisconsin.”  
  
Tao gives Lu Han a judging look. “We need altitude,” he says, turning to Kris. “I’m going to get on the top of your car and see if I can get signal up there.”  
  
“Hell no,” Kris shoots back, “no one is getting on the roof of my new Cayenne.”  
  
Lu Han groans again. “We’re going to die out here, aren’t we? Yixing, I’m too young to die. Yixingggg, are you listening to me?”  
  
Tao gives Kris another pointed look. “If you don’t let me, we have to listen to that for god knows how long.”  
  
“Yixingggg. Hey, Zhang Yixing. Wake up and listen to meeeeee.”  
  
“Go,” Kris decides, closing his eyes. “Hurry up and call for help.”  
  
Forty minutes later, an AAA truck appears on the horizon and Lu Han finally shuts up. Yixing somehow manages to peacefully sleep through it all.


	13. Memphis, TN

Lu Han finds his favorite brunette to date in Memphis. They have arrived just in time for lunch, and stop at a popular restaurant. A small brunet is on stage, singing to jazz music with a soft, angelic voice.  
  
“Look at those lips,” Lu Han whistles under his breath. “I want some of that tonight.”  
  
Tao just blinks at him.  
  
Yixing, on the other hand, is focused on the dancers instead of the vocalist. “Remember when I used to dance?” he asks suddenly, rounding on Kris.  
  
“Sure,” Kris replies, glancing away from his phone. “Why did you stop anyway?”  
  
“Mama Zhang made Xingxing go to Engineering school,” Lu Han explains. “She threw this really big bitch fit about it.” In his opinion, Mrs. Zhang is kind of a big bitch in general, but he decides not to tell that to Yixing.  
  
At that moment, the song ends, and the vocalist bows, about to leave to stage. Lu Han’s eyes light up and follow the boy like a wolf stalking its prey. “I’ll be right back,” he mutters, slipping off his stool.  
  
Lu Han approaches the singer at the bar with a confident smile. “You have a lovely voice,” he says with an outrageous wink. “Hi, my name is Lu Han.”  
  
The boy blinks at him with big eyes and takes the hand Lu Han offers. “Hi there,” he replies. “My name is Do Kyungsoo; you must be from the North.”  
  
For a moment, Lu Han swoons because omg a sexy southern accent.  
  
“New York,” Lu Han confirms without hesitation. “Well, Mr. Do, would you like to show me around?”  
  
  
  
Kris decides somewhere between his third and fourth servings of barbecued ribs that he was having the best barbecue in the world. “I’m going to bring Joonmyeon here,” he says through a half-chewed mouthful of food.  
  
With a disgusted expression on his face, Tao shoves Kris away. “Don’t speak with your mouth full,” he commands, half heartedly. He expects Yixing to speak up about Kris’ manners, or lack of, but to his surprise, Yixing stays silent, eyes fixed on the plate in front of him.  
  
“Something wrong, Yixing?” Kris asks, finally swallowing.  
  
Yixing shrugs. “How did you know that you like Joonmyeon?” he asks.  
  
Kris is surprised by the seriousness of the question and pauses for a moment. “My heart speeds up whenever I just think of him,” he finally answers. “I can’t explain it; I just know.”  
  
“Oh,” Yixing replies, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. _“Oh_.”


	14. Kansas City, MO

  
“I think I’ve found my calling,” Kris declares, his mouth and hands covered in barbecue sauce.  
  
“What?” Lu Han asks, “eating baby back ribs?”  
  
“Yes,” Kris replies, taking another bite of meat. “The ones in Memphis were good, but the sauce on these is orgasmic, I swear to God.” Tao nods vigorously.  
  
“I think it’s my calling too,” Tao says, and everyone is shocked to see just how messy he is. Tao’s never been a messy person but somehow he’s even got the sweet barbecue sauce on his forehead. Lu Han guffaws, nudging Yixing. Yixing looks up, having been lost in thought as was typical of the last few days.  
  
“Tao!” Yixing cries. “You have sauce on your forehead!” Tao crosses his eyes as he attempts to look up at the sauce, and Kris sighs, reaching for a paper towel and wiping off Tao’s forehead.  
  
Lu Han pouts at Yixing. “How’s my face?” he asks.  
  
Yixing looks back down at his plate. “Fine,” he says. Luhan looks up at Kris, who shrugs.  
  
“I think your face sucks,” Tao sniggers, and Lu Han threatens to wipe his hands off on Tao’s sleeve. Everything is almost normal, Lu Han thinks, but he’s not sure he likes how pensieve Yixing is being these days. He misses his best friend.


	15. Greentown, KS

“Kris, it says we have six miles of gas left,” Tao says, eyeing the fuel gauge suspiciously.

“It’s fine,” Kris says, “I’m sure there’s a gas station coming up.”

There isn’t, and they run out of gas as they coast along the highway’s shoulder.

“How the fuck did this happen again?” Lu Han laments, kicking the driver’s seat in frustration. Kris slumps down in his chair, too annoyed to even reprimand Lu Han.

“I’ll call AAA,” Yixing offers. “At least this time we have signal.”

“Are we in the Wizard of Oz?” Tao asks suddenly, and Lu Han guffaws loudly.

“Well, we are still in Kansas so probably not,” Lu Han says, and Kris shakes his head.

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” he says, and Lu Han and Yixing follow his gaze to where a girl wearing a blue checkered dress is holding a little brown dog.

“Dorothy?” Yixing wonders. “Wait...does that mean -”

“You’re the Scarecrow!” Lu Han laughs maniacally. “Yixing would definitely be the Scarecrow, right? Taotao, you’re the Cowardly Lion and Kris, you can be the Tin Man.”

“Fuck you,” Kris says. “You’re the Tin Man, oh heartless one.”

“You’re Glinda, then,” Lu Han chuckles.

“Fuck no,” Kris snaps, and Tao motions to Yixing to call AAA while the other two fight.

“Yeah?” Lu Han challenges. “Let’s ask Dorothy, then.” They turn to look out the window, but to their surprise, ‘Dorothy’ is nowhere in sight.

“W-where’d she go?” Kris asks, and they look every which way but the girl has completely vanished. “She’s gone!”

“Maybe it was our imagination,” Yixing suggests, the phone to his ear.

“There’s no way,” Tao says quietly. It’s going to be an interesting story to tell when they get back.


	16. Denver, CO

  
“I don’t want to go camping,” Lu Han complains noisily. “It’s going to be gross and we’re not going to be able to sleep right and -”  
  
“Lu Han, would you be quiet already?” Tao interrupts. “Yixing wants to go, right, Xing?”  
  
Yixing looks over from the window absentmindedly. “Hm? Yeah,” he replies distractedly. “Yes.”  
  
Tao sighs loudly, rolling his eyes. They’re driving up a mountain or a hill of some sort - it must be a mountain - right outside of Denver.  
  
“It’s got to be around here somewhere,” Kris muses, looking around for a cabin.  
  
“Is that it?” Tao asks, pointing far in front of them. Kris makes a eureka! sort of noise and drives up to it. As they pull into the dirt patch that is a bad excuse for a parking lot, a very scary tall man comes out of the cabin and bounds up to their car. Lu Han practically jumps into Yixing’s lap, spewing all sorts of nonsense about serial killers, and he even cries out for Kris not to roll down the window. Kris ignores him and the man leans into the car.  
  
“Hi!” he cries, “I’m Chanyeol! I’m going to help you guys set up camp! You must be Kris and Yixing and Tao and Lu Han! I have your reservations for tonight! Camping is great!”  
  
“Weed is legal in Colorado, isn’t it?” Lu Han asks in a whisper, and Yixing nods. Lu Han makes a distraught noise and Yixing just laughs at him.  
  
“You’re down to rent two tents - is that right?” Chanyeol asks. Kris nods. “I’ll be around as well. The entire camp has dinner at five, otherwise you’re free to do what you want!” He smiles at them, and to all of their surprises, Lu Han is not ogling the handsome brunette camp director.  
  
When Chanyeol leaves, Tao calls him out on it. “Lu Han, he’s got brown hair. What’s the deal?”  
  
“He’s hardly petite,” Lu Han scoffs. “Besides, I don’t want to hook up with a crazy drug-addict camper, thank you very much. Anyway...I don’t know. He’s definitely not my type.”  
  
“Yixing, what do you think?” Kris asks, and Yixing looks up.  
  
“Nah,” he laughs. “I have a very specific type.”  
  
Kris clears his throat and they all jump out of the car. Chanyeol’s grinning at them, holding two duffel bags.  
  
“I have your tents!” he cries.  
  
Tao smiles, turning to Kris. “I call sharing a tent with you,” he says pleasantly, eyeing Yixing. Yixing has been less excited about everything since New Orleans and Tao doesn’t want to be around him anymore.  
  
“Fine, Xing and I will share,” Lu Han scoffs, and Yixing doesn’t respond. “But I refuse to sleep until we’re passed out drunk.”  
  
  
They get drunk, alright. Chanyeol has joined them with a few beers of his own and they’re all chatting amicably.  
  
Lu Han and Chanyeol are about equally drunk, and the other three are slightly more sober by the time the fire starts to die out. Kris puts more logs on the fire, expecting to relax, when Lu Han pulls out a brilliant idea.  
  
“Hey,” he says slyly, “how about we play truth or dare or strip?”  
  
Chanyeol jumps up excitedly. “Yeah, yeah!” he cries. The others reluctantly agree (Kris is hardest to convince, but it’s easy to convince Tao, who says he has no secrets).  
  
“Wait, what is this game,” Yixing asks cautiously, though his words are starting to slur.  
  
“Well,” Lu Han says in a falsely esoteric voice, “truth or dare or strip is a wonderful mix of spin-the-bottle, truth or dare, and stripping. One person spins the bottle, and whoever it lands on gets asked ‘truth or dare?’ They can choose either truth or dare, but if they receive their question or dare and refuse to answer or do it, they have to remove one article of clothing.” He grins as he finishes, and Yixing nods slowly.  
  
“Fair enough,” Kris sighs. “Who’s gonna spin first? Because I sure as hell am not going to.”  
  
“I’ll do it,” Lu Han cries, taking a swig of his beer. He spins the bottle and it lands on Tao. Tao bites his lip as Lu Han gives him a creepy grin. “Truth or dare, Taozi?”  
  
“Dare,” Tao says proudly, but he looks nervous. He gulps down almost half a bottle of beer as Lu Han thinks up a dare for him.  
  
“Okay, Tao, I dare you to call Sehun and tell him that you’re in love with him,” Lu Han grins. Kris rolls his eyes but Tao just pulls out his phone, dialing Sehun’s number. “Put it on speaker,” Lu Han says. Tao does as he’s told. They listen to the phone ring a few times, and then Sehun picks up.  
  
“Hello?” comes Sehun’s voice, yelling over a crowd. “Tao?”  
  
“Sehun,” Tao says loudly, trying to outdo the music playing in the background. “Sehun, I love you!”  
  
“What?” Sehun cries. “I can’t hear you.”  
  
“I said I’m in love with you!” Tao yells, and Lu Han is laughing maniacally. Chanyeol, too, is giggling, but it’s mostly because he’s had too much beer and not because he knows what’s going on.  
  
“Thanks, Tao,” Sehun says, “but I have this weird feeling you’re playing some dumb game like truth or dare and Lu Han put you up to this. Also I was about to get this hot girl’s number so fuck you.”  
  
“Fuck you too,” Tao replies sweetly. “Get laid, Sehunnie! Bye!” He hangs up and smiles smugly at Lu Han. “He knows you too well,” he laughs. Lu Han pouts as he drinks more beer - they’ve each had at least a whole bottle each by now, except for Yixing, who’s still working on bottle number one.  
  
“Well, I guess you’re next, Tao,” Chanyeol says. Chanyeol is still very giggly, and he keeps eyeing Lu Han hungrily. Yixing is glad he’s sitting between them, because he’s sure they’d be making out at any moment if he wasn’t there to be their barrier. He’s glad Tao is straight and Kris is committed, because he has a feeling if that wasn’t the case, this has the potential to end badly  
  
Tao spins, and much to Yixing’s dismay, it lands right in front of him. “Truth or dare?” Tao asks, and Lu Han smirks. Tao narrows his eyes at his friend but turns back to Yixing as Yixing answers.  
  
“Truth,” he says, and Tao spits out a question immediately.  
  
“Do you like anyone right now?” he asks, and Yixing doesn’t miss Tao quickly glancing around the circle to gauge for reactions. Yixing, too, looks. Kris looks bored and uninterested, and Chanyeol is still watching Lu Han. Lu Han has at least stopped laughing but he’s drawing circles in the dirt, and Yixing’s heart falls just a little.  
  
“Yes,” he replies quietly, and Tao grins.  
  
“Xing, go, it’s your turn,” Lu Han says, and he sounds irritable. Yixing frowns.  
  
Forty minutes later, they’re all in various states of undress. Yixing only had removed his socks - Lu Han had dared him to remove an article of clothing, and Yixing protested that he’d have to no matter what, which was apparently exactly Lu Han’s intention - but Kris is unfortunately left with just his boxers.  
  
It’s Tao’s turn to spin the bottle, and this time, it lands on Kris. Kris gets up.  
  
“I have to pee,” he says, and he wobbles a little. Chanyeol jumps up and attempts to steady him, but suddenly they’re both wobbling very dangerously. Yixing finally stands and holds them both, directing Chanyeol to his seat and Kris to his. Nobody will be falling into the fire today.  
  
“Truth or dare?” Tao asks.  
  
“Truth,” he sighs. Tao scoots over next to Lu Han and Lu Han whispers in his ear. Lu Han laughs wildly, and Tao starts to laugh too.  
  
“Yes!” Tao cackles. “Kris Wu...have you ever had phone sex with Joonmyeon?”  
  
Kris looks up at him, blushing scarlet. “Pass,” he says immediately. “I pass.”  
  
“You do realize this means you have to take off your boxers, right?” Chanyeol laughs. “You’ll be completely naked.”  
  
Kris curses, biting his lip. “Fine,” he says. “Fine.”  
  
“So? Have you ever had phone sex with Joonmyeon? You have to tell the truth,” Tao says.  
  
Kris sighs loudly, and he frowns. He mulls over his words for a while as the others wait for him to answer. “Well...I wouldn’t call it phone sex,” he says finally. “It’s more like...like...”  
  
“Going over your fetishes and secret desires with him? In graphic detail? Which sometimes ends with your hand in your pants?” Lu Han cackles evilly.  
  
“We can hear your moaning sometimes,” Tao adds, and Chanyeol’s laughing like crazy at that point.  
  
“Fuck you all,” Kris mutters.  
  
“Nah, we’ll leave you Joonmyeon for that,” Lu Han giggles.  
  
“I hope it lands on you, Lu Han,” Kris says bitingly, picking up the bottle, “because you are going to regret this.”  
  
It does end up landing on Lu Han, who asks for a truth. “What’s the most people you’ve ever slept with in one twenty-four hour period?” Chanyeol asks him. Lu Han smiles, looking up as he counts them mentally.  
  
“Well, there’s that one time I had a threesome early in the evening, and then I did a girl, and then a guy, and then another threesome later in the night so I guess that makes...six?” He grins at Chanyeol with a wink, and Chanyeol sits up a little straighter, smiling drunkenly.  
  
They’re all very drunk, excepting Yixing, and Kris still is slightly sane but more bitter now that he has admitted his secret.  
  
So when Lu Han spins the bottle and it lands on Yixing, Yixing is dreading it.  
  
“Ask for a dare, Xing,” Lu Han chuckles, prompting his best friend.  
  
“Okay...” he sighs. “Dare, then.”  
  
“I dare you to make out with Chanyeol,” he laughs, and Kris and Tao suddenly quiet down.  
  
“Come on, Lu Han,” Kris says in a warning tone. “Don’t make him do that.” Yixing is thankful for his friend.  
  
But Lu Han pouts. “Aw, it’s just harmless fun, right Chanyeol? You don’t mind, right?”  
  
“Nope!” Chanyeol grins. Lu Han turns to Yixing.  
  
“Do the dare,” he says, and Yixing doesn’t want to disappoint Lu Han. He doesn’t want to make his friend frown.  
  
So he scoots towards Chanyeol, who looks eager, and he kisses him slowly at first. Chanyeol’s mouth tastes like beer and he’s far too slobbery, but even so, Yixing closes his eyes and imagines that it’s someone else kissing him.


	17. Las Vegas, NV

Because Yixing is from the Big Apple, he finds the dazzling lights of Las Vegas more comforting than disconcerting.  
  
“It feels like home,” Lu Han says, eyeing the green MGM Grand hotel in the distance.  
  
Kris just pouts from the passenger seat, finally pocketing the phone that he had been texting with for the past hour. “Joonmyeon’s going to sleep,” he says with a sigh.  
  
Lu Han gives a questioning look.  
  
“Three hour time difference,” Kris explains. “It’s kind of late there and he has important things to do tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Well we have important things to do tonight,” Lu Han says. “Get drunk.”  
  
No one bats an eyelash.  
  
None of the four are really into gambling because they have all the money that they will ever need. Instead, they check in to a big suite at the Bellagio and head out to the club right after.  
  
"Bar," Kris says.  
  
"Dance club," Tao says.  
  
"Both," Lu Han decides.  
  
Yixing just shakes his head.  
  
Since none of them are expecting to be sober enough for driving behind the wheel at the end of the night, they leave Kris' car at the hotel and instead rent a limo, stocked with vodka and campaign.  
  
"We're almost at the end of the trip," Lu Han says, holding up a flute of sparkling alcohol into the air as dubstep mixes of Ke$ha blared from the radio. "Cheers! We're almost to California!"  
  
Tao nods, and holds up his own glass. "We should stay in Vegas for a few days," he suggests. There is a general sound of agreement among the clinking of glasses.  
  
  
  
  
For the first time since their trip, Lu Han is not the first of the group to find a partner for the dance floor.  
  
When the boy with the dark skin and even darker eyes approaches, Lu Han sits up straighter, perking up with interest. The guest, however, fixes his eyes on Yixing and pulls him out of the booth.  
  
"Care to dance?" he asks, voice deep and alluring.  
  
Yixing chuckles, surprised that someone had shown interest in him when he was with Lu Han, the doe eyed beauty, and Kris, who was both tall and ridiculously handsome. "Not sure if you can keep up," he teases, accepting the guy's hand.  
  
"Oh, I can keep up."  
  
When the song switches from a fast club beat to something slower and more sultry and Yixing presses his body close to his dance partner's, he introduces himself as Kim Jongin. Yixing finds that yes, Jongin can definitely keep up.  
  
"I'm a dancer," Jongin says, lips on the shell of Yixing's ear. "But you're pretty good too."  
  
"I used to be a dancer," Yixing replies, shivering slightly. The drinks in the limo and the shots from the booth were starting to take effect; Yixing holds on tighter to stay on his feet even as other bodies press them closer.  
  
"I can tell."  
  
The hot press of bodies has Yixing working up a sweat in no time, and he has been grinding his butt into Jongin's crotch for way too long.  
  
"Want to get out of here?" Yixing asks huskily.  
  
"Yeah," Jongin replies at once. "Yeah."  
  
When Yixing gets back to the booth, Lu Han is chatting up a brunette girl with bright red lipstick. Kris adds his bit to the conversation, but otherwise stays unimpressed.  
  
"Where's Tao?" Yixing asks, stealing the rest of Lu Han's drink.  
  
"Dance floor? Bathroom? Not sure," Kris replies.  
  
Lu Han gives him a glare and moves his hand further up the girl's thigh.  
  
"I'm going to grab a cab and head back first," Yixing says, already pulling Jongin out of the door.  
  
  
  
  
  
To Yixing's surprise, the morning after is not awkward. He doesn't have that many drunk one night stands, but he is rather pleased to find Jongin still in his bed when he wakes up.  
  
"My head hurts," Jongin groans, rolling over onto Yixing.  
  
Yixing makes a garbled noise but is too tired to move away. Instead, he evens out his breathing and tries to go back to sleep.  
  
It doesn’t work.  
  
"Are you busy today?" Jongin mumbles five minutes later, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.  
  
"Hum?" Yixing glances over. Jongin looks so adorable in his disheveled state that he can’t help but let out a chuckle, leaning over to kiss the younger's pump lips.  
  
"My dance studio is having a free hip-hop workshop this afternoon. You said you used to be a dancer right? You can come check it out if you want; we’re learning some of that kpop stuff."  
  
Yixing's heartbeat increases at the mere thought of dancing, but quickly pushes it away. "I'm too out of shape," he says, shaking his head. "I can't - "  
  
"Please," Jongin interrupts with a lewd smirk. "I think we established last night that you are very much in shape."  
  
Yixing blushes and looks away.  
  
  
  
  
By the time Yixing trudges out of his bedroom, the others are already in the suite's dining room, having ordered breakfast with room service.  
  
"You guys look kinda shitty," Tao says through a mouthful of bacon.  
  
Yixing pretends not to hear and instead shoves Jongin into the bathroom to wash up.  
  
Kris is waiting with painkillers in hand when they get out.  
  
"I like this one," Jongin says, accepting them happily, clapping Kris on the back and shooting Tao a pointed look. Tao huffs from the other side of the room, cracking a tired smile. "I'm Jongin, by the way. I didn't get a chance to introduce myself last night."  
  
Kris shakes his outstretched hand and waves toward the food left on the table. "Help yourself to breakfast, Jongin. I'm Kris, and this is Tao, and Lu Han."  
  
Tao nods hello, but Lu Han simple furrows his eyebrows, face strangely blank.  
  
"Where are you guys from?" Jongin asks, sitting down and pouring himself orange juice.  
  
"Shouldn't you already know," Lu Han snaps.  
  
Jongin gives him a slow smile. "Sorry," he replies with a drawl. "Yixing and I were kind of …preoccupied…last night."  
  
Yixing chokes on his milk and snorts some up his nose, but Tao just cackles. Lu Han continues to glare.  
  
"New York," Kris answers, when it becomes obvious by Lu Han's angry look that he is not planning replying. "We're from New York City, headed to LA."  
  
"Well I'm a Vegas native, so if you need to know anything about Sin City, I'm the person for the job," Jongin replies.  
  
"Yeah, what's with the replica landmarks?" Tao asks, sitting up with interest. "The Eiffel tower and shit."  
  
As Jongin starts into a story about Paris Las Vegas, Yixing sits back and enjoys his pancakes. He is surprised and pleased at how easily Jongin converses with his friends, almost as if he has known them for years instead of mere minutes. There is something youthful, something alive, about Jongin. Something that he also had back when he was still dancing.  
  
Kris is particularly intrigued about the Arc de Triomphe. "Did you say 2/3 size?"  
  
Jongin nods. "And the tower is half sized."  
  
Lu Han is the only one not impressed. "They stole our Statue of Liberty too," he mutters under his breath.  
  
Jongin just blinks at him.  
  
"What's planned for today?" Tao asks through the awkward silence. "I'd love to just lounge by the pool all day after last night."  
  
"That sounds good," Yixing replies. He pauses, and glances over at Jongin. "I'm going to check out Jongin's dance studio later."  
  
"You're dancing?" Kris repeats, surprised.  
  
Yixing nods, trying to keep the overwhelming excitement he felt off his face. Kris, Tao, and Lu Han exchange a mysterious look that Yixing can’t seem to read.  
  
“What?” he asks, looking back and forth between the other three.  
  
“Nothing,” Kris replies, voice suddenly gentle. “We’re glad that you’re going to dance again.”  
  
  
Lu Han simultaneously wants to take a nap by the pool and to hide away from the sun.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" Tao asks, eyeing Lu Han as he lurks in the building making up his mind.  
  
"I value my pale skin," Lu Han hisses back. "Also, the sun causes cancer."  
  
Kris sighs, but wraps a hand around Lu Han's wrist and pulls. "We'll set up one of those umbrellas and get you in the shade. Come on, Princess."  
  
When he gets into the cool, clear water and sinks down to his shoulders, however, Lu Han decides that the three layers of sunscreen is probably enough. Either way, it is worth a little suntan.  
  
  
  
  
  
They gather back in the suite around six and start looking for good places for dinner on the hotel computer.  
  
"Italian," Tao says.  
  
"French," Kris says.  
  
Lu Han rolls his eyes. "Both."  
  
At that moment, the door to the suite opens and Yixing barrels in, MCM bag over one shoulder and pulling Jongin by the hand. He is smiling, looking happier than Lu Han has seen him in a long, long time. He's dressed in some loose harem pants and a white tank top that is hanging off one shoulder and clinging onto parts of his body due to dried sweat.  
  
"Borrowed some dance clothes from Jongin," Yixing explains, dropping his backpack onto the floor by the door.  
  
"How was it?" Kris asks, obviously trying to hide his curiosity.  
  
"Yixing was really good," Jongin replies at once.  
  
Yixing's dimple appears and he scratches his ear with embarrassment. "What are you guys doing?" he asks.  
  
"Looking for a good place for dinner; what do you want?"  
  
"Italian," Yixing replies.  
  
Tao lets out a triumphant smile and Kris sighs. "Go shower," he grumbles. "I'm starving."  
  
"We should shower together," Lu Han hears Jongin mutter. There is a shout of laughter and a light smacking sound, along with a "Yahhhh, watch it" from Jongin.  
  
Lu Han's heart drops and he looks away, suddenly feeling unhappy. He doesn't want to hear Yixing's response.  
  
  
  
  
  
When Lu Han has his hook-ups, it is strictly one date only. To his horror, Jongin sticks around for the whole week.  
  
"You're not doing it right," Lu Han hisses to Yixing on his way to his room one day. "You’re supposed to have amazing sex and then never see them again."  
  
Yixing only laughs. "I actually kind of like Jongin," he says, moving past him quickly. "Besides, we're not even hooking up anymore."  
  
Lu Han is even more flabbergasted. If Yixing isn't getting any from Jongin, then why the hell is stupid Kim Jongin still around all the time?  
  
"He's good for Xing," Kris explains when Lu Han voices his frustrations. "He's managed to get Yixing dancing again finally. You know, Jongin's auditioning for a big time LA hip hop company in a few days, and he's somehow convinced Yixing to sign up too."  
  
"Yixing is WHAT?" Lu Han yells, shocked. For some reason, his own best friend has neglected to inform him of this very fact. For a moment, he flounders. "Does that mean he might not be going back to New York with us? If he passes the audition? What about grad school?"  
  
Tao gives him the look, and Lu Han wilts a little under the younger man's intense gaze. "Yixing will metaphorically die in grad school," he says. "He needs to dance, Lu; you know that better than anyone."  
  
However, the mere thought of returning to New York without Yixing, of living life without Yixing close by, scares Lu Han.  
  
At the start of the journey, Lu Han had thought that he did not need to do any soul searching because he knew exactly who he was and what he wanted. However, hearing that Yixing, the one sure constant in his life, might be taken away from him has him rethinking his previous conclusions. Yixing can't be almost 2500 miles away, across the whole goddamn North American continent; he just can’t.  
  
Then Lu Han's heart starts hurting because Yixing would then be staying in LA with Kim Jongin. Even if they aren't fucking now, surely, if Yixing stays, they would develop into something more. They already seem so close, going to the dance studio for practice while the others lounge by the pool, shop, and explore Vegas.  
  
Lu Han finds that he is not okay with that prospect.  
  
He doesn't like the way Jongin's dark exterior contrasts with Yixing's pale, white skin. He doesn't like how the two have so much in common, and how easily Yixing has taken to his new friend. He doesn't like feeling replaced, specially by someone so flawless as Kim Jongin.  
  
Then again, Lu Han's heart has been hurting a lot lately. When Yixing touches his hand, or flashes that dimpled smile and asks him if he has eaten dinner, Lu Han's heart feels as if it is going to jump out of his chest.  
  
It's just nerves, Lu Han tells himself. He just doesn't want his best friend to leave his side.  
  
Deep down, even he knows that he is just lying to himself.  
  
Yixing's audition is on a Friday, and Kris wishes him luck with a big smile and a pat on the back. He gets a text from Yixing around mid-day, saying that both he and Jongin had made past the first two rounds, and would be busy all afternoon.  
  
"I don't know whether to be happy or sad," Lu Han mutters, looking like a lost puppy.  
  
Tao sighs. "Yixing really wants this, so we should support him even if it means he'll be leaving us."  
  
Kris agrees wholeheartedly. "I haven't seen him this passionate about something for years; I really missed this Yixing."  
  
  
  
  
  
When the pair gets back at the end of the day, both are in high spirits.  
  
"They loved Yixing and his dimple," Jongin says happily.  
  
Yixing blushes. "No, the main agent was obsessed with Jongin! He said he hasn't seen anyone dance like that since - "  
  
"They loved us both, basically," Jongin interrupts humbly. "I think we're both in."  
  
"When do you find out?" Lu Han asks in a small voice.  
  
Yixing does not notice, still on his adrenaline rush. "In a week or so, Lu," he replies excitedly. "I can't wait!"  
  
"Oh." Lu Han spins on his heels and stomps into his room, slamming the door rather loudly.  
  
Yixing just blinks at the closed door. "What's with him?" he asks no one in particular.  
  
Kris shrugs, but doesn't meet his eyes. He has a feeling he knows exactly what Lu Han's problem is. However, it is between Lu Han and Yixing, and he is not in a position to meddle.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
When Lu Han emerges from his room thirty minutes later, he is back to his normal, cheery self. He is the first one out of the door when they leave for the night club, on route to search for the city's best mixed drinks.  
  
"It's a noble cause," Kris hears him say to Yixing as the elevator doors close.  
  
Yeah, right.  
  
Lu Han and Yixing seem to take the mission seriously, however. They drag Kris and Tao to three different clubs before deciding to stay at the last one, deeming its alcohol worthy of their presence. By then, both boys are relatively tipsy. Tao is on the dance floor making new friends, but Kris nurses a single drink by the bar, taking his time.  
  
"What's with you?" the bartender shouts over the loud music.  
  
"I've gotta be sober enough to take my dumbass friends home," Kris shouts back. "I'm the designated 'responsible friend'."  
  
The bartender gives him a sympathetic smile. "Drinks are on the house," he says, patting Kris on the shoulder before moving on to his other customers. "I hated being the responsible one."  
  
It takes another 40 minutes for Tao to return, flushed, but still sober.  
  
"Uh…Lu Han is making out with someone on the dance floor," he says, plopping into the barstool next to Kris and tapping counter to get the bartender's attention.  
  
Kris fails to see the point; Lu Han has hooked up with more people in the past year than he has in his whole life time. "So? Nothing new."  
  
Tao shakes his head slowly. "The person he is making out with is Yixing."  
  
"Oh." That is definitely something new.  
  
Kris takes a moment to think and swishes the remains of his drink around the bottom of the glass, looking over to the direction that Tao is pointing. Lu Han's light blond hair is easily recognizable in the darkened club, and he has Yixing pressed up against one of the floor-to-ceiling columns on the edge of the dance floor. One hand is wrapped aggressively in Yixing's brown locks and the other is on Yixing's collar, yanking him closer. Yixing does not seem to mind, if the way he has his hands on Lu Han's hips and tongue down his throat is anything to go by.  
  
"Should we be concerned that our best friends are eating each other's faces?" Tao asks mildly.  
  
Kris shrugs. "Nah," he says. "I think it's about time. There's been so much tension between since we got here in Vegas, it was starting to make me uncomfortable."  
  
Tao opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it.  
  
When Lu Han stumbles back to the bar ten minutes later and inserts himself between Kris and Tao's barstools, his face is flushed red. "Hi," he says with a little laugh, dragging Yixing behind him. The dancer's white dress shirt has one too many buttons undone and a hickey is developing on his exposed collarbone.  
  
"Um, hey," Tao replies, trying and failing to keep a smirk off his face. "What's up with you guys?"  
  
“It’s hot in here,” Yixing says glassy eyed, leaning in to kiss Lu Han again.  
  
"Oh spare us," Tao mutters, making a retching sound.  
  
"Kris!" Lu Han says in excitement, suddenly pulling away from Yixing. "Kris, guess what?"  
  
Kris hums, humoring his drunk friend.  
  
"Yixing - Yixing and I are gonna get married," Lu Han giggles.  
  
At that, Tao raises an eyebrow. "Are you now?" he asks, still smirking.  
  
"We're going to - do you want - do you want to come to the wedding?" Lu Han continues. He hooks an arm around Yixing's shoulder and tries to steal Tao's drink from the table. Tao snatches it out of his grasp and Lu Han pouts for a moment before being distracted, yet again, by Yixing's lips.  
  
"This is gross," Tao says over their heads.  
  
Kris kind of has to agree, because watching his two best friends make out is certainly not the highlight of his night  
  
"Separate," he commands, grabbing Yixing by the shoulder and moving him into a seat on his other side. Lu Han's hands reach after Yixing, but Tao sits Lu Han down in his seat and then shifts one over.  
  
"There two are dumb," Tao observes after a few minutes. Yixing has fallen asleep using his arms as a pillow and Lu Han is staring, entranced, at a bottle of Vodka behind the bar.  
  
With a sign, Kris gets to his feet. "I'll grab Yixing; you get Lu Han. I think it's time to go home."  
  
Yixing wakes up to his second pounding headache since arriving in Vegas. This time, he is alone in bed with no recollection of how he got there. Then, he rolls over and suddenly remembers. Well, not everything, but he certainly remembers Lu Han's lips on his, and the way Lu Han's skin had felt under his fingers.  
  
Shit.  
  
Breakfast is an awkward affair and Lu Han seats himself across the table, as far away from Yixing as he possibly can. Any hope that things could go back to normal or, even, progress, evaporates from Yixing's mind at once.  
  
"Let's head out to LA at the end of the week," Kris says, trying to make conversation. "Is that okay, Yixing?"  
  
Yixing just nods, eyes fixed on his eggs.  
  
"Lu Han?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Tao?"  
  
"I can't wait to see the Pacific Ocean," Tao answers. He looks back and forth between Lu Han and Yixing and purses his lips.  
  
Yixing reaches for the basket of croissants and finds, to his horror, Lu Han doing the exact same thing. Their hands touch for a brief moment, and Lu Han snatches his hand back as if he had just been burned.  
  
Suddenly, Yixing is no longer in the mood for french pastries.  
  
"Pass the cereal," Kris says weakly, compensating for the awkward atmosphere.  
  
Lu Han wordlessly hands over the cocoa puffs.  
  
"I'm going to the dance studio," Yixing decides, scraping his chair back in his haste to stand up. He grabs a handful of grapes and feels Lu Han's eyes on his back and he escapes from the suite.  
  
  
  
  
Instead of going to Jongin's dance studio, Yixing decides to explore Vegas on his own. He had missed out when the other three toured the city because he had been dancing. Seeing the sights gives him time to think, because holy hell does he have a lot to think about.  
  
First of all, making out with Lu Han had been a bad idea, sober or drunk. Lu Han doesn't do relationships, doesn't do feelings, and never has for as long as Yixing can remember. The blond has single handedly broken more hearts than Yixing can count using both of his hands, and he has a sinking feeling that he might be the next one.  
  
Nothing is going to be the same anymore, Yixing realizes, but he is not sure if he is ready for a change.  
  
Yixing meets up with Jongin after dinner at the dance studio. Jongin is covered in a layer of dried sweat and exhausted from a three hour dance session but that doesn't stop him from pointing open-mouthed at Yixing.  
  
"Oh my god, Xing, you did not."  
  
"What?" Yixing asks, miserably flopping down onto the hardwood floor.  
  
"I can see that hickey on your collarbone from a mile away; don't play dumb with me," Jongin snaps. Then he starts to grin. "It was Lu Han, wasn't it? Was he good? He looks like he'd be into some kinky shit."  
  
This time, it is Yixing's turn to stare, open-mouthed. "Oh my God, shut up," he squeaks, smacking Jongin on the arm. "We didn't - there wasn't - we just got drunk and made out a little."  
  
"Looks like it was a lot," Jongin corrects with a smirk.  
  
Yixing sighs. "Okay, fine, we made out a lot. But now things are all fucked up."  
  
"You love him, right?" Jongin asks gently.  
  
"I have for a while now, I think." Yixing lets out a breath of air, blowing his bangs out of his face. "But…it's not like he'll take me seriously."  
  
"You have to try, Yixing," Jongin says. "Tell him how you feel."  
  
"I can't, okay? I just…can't."  
  
Jongin shakes his head vehemently. "Worst case scenario, he doesn't feel the same way."  
  
"Then I end up best friendless and depressed." Yixing grimaces at the bleak thought.  
  
Jongin pats Yixing on the back soothingly. "There are tons of hot guys in LA for you to use as rebounds," he says with a sly smile. "Besides, we're going to be amazing dancers, and he's just going to regret it when we get famous one day."  
  
"It's not - "  
  
"I personally think that he loves you too," Jongin interrupts.  
  
"Yeah, as a friend," Yixing sighs.  
  
Again, Jongin shakes his head. "No, not as just a friend."  
  
"What do you mean?" Yixing asks, trying not to sound hopeful.  
  
"I've seen the way he looks at me when I get too close to you and let me tell you, if looks could kill, I would be beyond dead," Jongin replies with a small shudder.  
  
In the end, Yixing realizes that it is not about whether or not he gets rejected. It's about moving on. If he never tells Lu Han how he feels, he is going to be stuck forever with this horrible feeling inside of him. He, for one, is not about to live his whole life wondering about what could have been.  
  
  
  
  
  
To his surprise, the hotel suite seems empty when he gets back. The lights are all off, and the whole place is dead silent. When Yixing flips on the hall light, however, he sees a blond head pop up from the couch.  
  
"Oh, you're back." Lu Han promptly lays back down.  
  
"Where is everyone?" Yixing asks nervously.  
  
"Tao and Kris went to the spa. I think Jongin had vouchers or something and called half an hour ago."  
  
Yixing almost rolls his eyes. Jongin had obviously gotten the other two out of the suite for him to have the talk with Lu Han.  
  
"Why didn't you go too?" he asks.  
  
Lu Han's reply is terse. "Not in the mood."  
  
Gingerly, Yixing takes a seat next to Lu Han. "We should talk," he says finally.  
  
Lu Han does not look up. "Yeah, talk," he repeats, but makes no effort to continue.  
  
"About…last night," Yixing tries. "Um…"  
  
"Do you love Jongin?" Lu Han suddenly asks, sitting up and staring straight ahead at the TV, staring, but not really seeing.  
  
"What?" Yixing splutters. "I - no, not like that."  
  
The light from the hall lights up half of Lu Han's face, but the other half is shrouded in shadow, leaving his expression ineffable. "How do you know?" he asks quietly.  
  
Yixing takes a deep breath. "He doesn't make me feel the way…someone else does."  
  
At that, Lu Han finally looks over. His eyes, however, are still guarded. "And how does this 'someone else' feel?"  
  
"I don't think he believes in love," Yixing responds truthfully, looking away.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Yixing bites his lip, feeling unwanted tears start to pool behind his lashes. "He sleeps around a lot," he answers, voice barely a whisper, "and never keeps anyone around for more than a night or two. Sometimes, I'm glad because that means he's never attached, but - but it hurts so much."  
  
For a moment, there is just tension in the air.  
  
"You're wrong," Lu Han finally says, suddenly moving closer. "I do believe in love."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yixing, I think I love you." Under the strange lighting, Lu Han looks so serious that for a moment, Yixing lets himself believe him. However, a tear slipping down his cheek snaps him back to reality.  
  
"Lu Han, I'm not going to be one of your one night stands, okay? Stop, just stop." To his horror, Yixing starts full out crying. This is so embarrassing, he thinks. Even more embarrassing than time his pants ripped in the middle of Times Square when he was in middle school.  
  
"I'm sorry for causing you pain when I was with all those people," Lu Han continues, scooting so that their thighs touched. "I was looking for something but I just didn’t know what it was. Now I know. It's you; I was looking for you."  
  
Yixing draws in a shuddering breath and fixes his gaze on his knees as even more tears fall.  
  
"Stop crying, Yixing," Lu Han begs. He reaches out and takes Yixing's hands, prying them apart and wrapping them in his. "Look at me, Xing. Please?"  
  
Yixing shakes his head, refusing to look up.  
  
"Xingxing, look at me." This time, Lu Han's hands are on Yixing's face, fingers ghosting over his cheek. "You're the most important person in my life, Yixing. I never - I would never knowingly hurt you; you know that. Please trust me; I'm not going to leave you"  
  
Yixing can feel the blond's thumb brushing a stray tear away before moving down over Yixing's lips. Yixing looks up and finds himself lost in soft brown eyes. He sees Lu Han, the guy he has known for so many years, who has always had his back about everything. Lu Han, who he trusts blindly with all of his heart.  
  
"Do you know how much I want to kiss you right now?" Lu Han mutters under his breath, eyes suddenly much darker.  
  
Yixing thinks he does know, because he is also dying to feel Lu Han's lips on his again. He lets his eyes flutter closed as a sign of acknowledgement and a moment later, Lu Han is kissing him softly, carefully. Yixing decides that this is ten times better without the alcohol and kisses back with fervor until Lu Han is also responding with ardor.  
  
"I like doing this sober," Lu Han says between open-mouthed kisses, as if reading Yixing's mind. He shifts himself into Yixing's lap and starts to pull at Yixing's t-shirt. A moment later, the garment is tossed over the back of the couch and Lu Han is attaching his mouth to Yixing's collarbone, running his tongue over the hickey he had left the night before.  
  
Yixing can feel Lu Han smirking as he starts to suck another along Yixing's neck. Any thoughts of objection, however, fly out of the window as Lu Han rolls his hips down, drawing a low moan from Yixing's throat. A moment later, Lu Han's shirt is also on the floor, and the blond is reaching for the button on Yixing's pants.  
  
"Wait," Yixing says, putting out a hand to stop Lu Han. The blond gives him a confused and somewhat disgruntled look.  
  
"What?" Lu Han whines, pouting so much that Yixing feels the need to lean forward and kiss him better.  
  
"Not in the living room," he explains.  
  
Lu Han's eyes light up with understanding and he clambers to his feet, holding a hand out to pull Yixing up as well. "Okay," he says, moving toward his bedroom. "Okay."  
  
Lu Han keeps repeating “okay” as he drags Yixing into the bedroom, stumbling about as he kisses his best friend silly.  
  
“Lu,” Yixing chuckles, “stop. It’s okay, so you don’t need to keep saying it.” Lu Han pulls away from Yixing’s face to gaze at him for a moment.  
  
“I just can’t believe this is happening. Now that it’s finally - I mean, I’m finally realizing that you’re really what I wanted this entire time,” Lu Han sighs, kissing Yixing gently but lovingly. “Xing,” he says, pulling Yixing onto his bed.  
  
“Hm?” Yixing asks, as he’s pulled on top of Lu Han. They watch each other for a few very long seconds. Yixing reads Lu Han’s face - he’s obviously nervous, just like Yixing is, but the way he’s smiling is reassuring to Yixing that this is really what he wants.  
  
“I want to give you everything,” Lu Han says. “I’m giving you all of me, so if you want it...I’m yours to take.” He props himself up on his elbows and leans up to kiss Yixing. “Do you want me?”  
  
“Yes,” Yixing replies, kissing back, “so much.” He starts to tug at Lu Han’s waistband, but Lu Han stops him.  
  
“Xing, I want you to know that this...you’re special. I don’t see this as a one night stand or just a friends with benefits thing. I want to be yours only, and I want you to only be mine. I just...wanted you to know that.”  
  
“Lu...” Yixing trails off. “I love you.” He kisses Lu Han hard as he dances his fingers up Lu Han’s chest.  
  
“There are still hickeys on your chest,” Lu Han remarks, looking at the faint red marks surrounding Yixing’s collarbone. “From me?”  
  
“You sucked pretty hard,” Yixing says, kissing at Lu Han’s jaw. Lu Han doesn’t respond and instead ducks down to suck his marks to replace the fading ones.  
  
“You’re mine for good now,” Lu Han says proudly as he starts to unbutton Yixing’s jeans. Yixing’s cock is already half hard, but Lu Han’s underwear tenting like Yixing’s never seen. He pulls down Lu Han’s waistband in time with Lu Han doing the same to Yixing’s underwear, and he sighs with happiness.  
  
This obviously isn’t just about sex, for either of them, and Yixing repeatedly has to remind himself that he’s not dreaming - that the best friend he’s lusted after for who knows how long actually does reciprocate his feelings.  
  
“Yixing,” Lu Han breathes, and Yixing’s surprised how much it sounds like a prayer when Lu Han says it in that low, reverent voice. “Yixing, Yixing, Yixing.”  
  
Lu Han goes down on Yixing right away, and Yixing is suddenly slightly more appreciative that Lu Han has had so much practice. His lips are heavenly, kissing and sucking along his length. He teases Yixing slowly, running feather-light touches across the insides of his thighs and playing with his balls as he just places a few light kisses on Yixing’s cock. Yixing threads his fingers through Lu Han’s hair - it’s coarse and dry from all the dyeing but somehow it’s just what Yixing wants.  
  
Lu Han finally engulfs Yixing’s entire cock in his mouth, and Yixing isn’t surprised that Lu Han can take him all the way. He feels his tip hit the back of Lu Han’s throat and it’s so hot and tight and absolutely perfect.  
  
He squeezes Lu Han’s head between his thighs, but it doesn’t even faze Lu Han, who keeps sucking away.  
  
“Lu,” Yixing moans. “Ah - so good.” Lu Han seems to take that as a request to go faster, so he does, pulling out moans from Yixing’s mouth with each petulant suck to his cock.  
  
He feels the adrenaline running through his veins and that maddening, tickling sensation before he comes sticky and hot into Lu Han’s mouth. Lu Han swallows as if the bitter fluid is ambrosia, and he wastes no time in pulling up to kiss Yixing.  
  
“Ugh,” Yixing says, tasting his own flavor on Lu Han’s tongue, but Lu Han just smiles, tugging at Yixing’s cock.  
  
“Can you go again?” Lu Han asks, and Yixing punches him lightly.  
  
“I’m not middle-aged, you know,” Yixing retorts, and Lu Han smiles at him. He keeps stroking Yixing’s cock, whispering filthy words into his ears - promises of fulfillments of Yixing’s biggest Lu Han-related fantasies - and Yixing gets hard again faster than he ever has before. Lu Han is just so wonderful and Yixing is so in love.  
  
“Yixing,” Lu Han whispers in Yixing’s ear, “I’m yours. I’m all yours.” They kiss for five, ten minutes, maybe, until Lu Han is rutting up against Yixing’s thigh.  
  
“Lu?” Yixing ventures.  
  
“Come on, Xing,” he moans. He crawls over to the bedside drawer and clumsily pulls out a bottle of lube and a condom packet. He hands them to Yixing and climbs back on his best friend’s lap.  
  
“Are you sure?” Yixing asks incredulously, but Lu Han doesn’t respond and instead rolls his hips against Yixing’s. He pops open the bottle and greases up his fingers, pressing a first tentative digit to Lu Han’s entrance.  
  
Yixing is honestly surprised. He didn’t expect Lu Han to let him top, but he wonders if Lu Han’s doing it to prove that he’s letting himself be vulnerable to Yixing. And Yixing appreciates that.  
  
Lu Han wriggles on Yixing’s finger, opening himself up and prompting Yixing to add more. Lu Han isn’t terribly loose, but it’s not a tight fit until he has two fingers in. Meanwhile, Lu Han rolls a condom onto Yixing’s cock and lubes him up as well, panting heavily into Yixing’s ear.  
  
“Xing, I love you,” Lu Han pants desperately. He kisses Yixing’s face, his lips, his ears, his neck, until Yixing is four fingers in and both of their skin is hot to the touch.  
  
“Lu Han,” Yixing whines as Lu Han pulls off of Yixing’s fingers. He lifts up, letting Yixing take hold of his hips, and then he drops down slowly, impaling himself on Yixing’s cock.  
  
It’s mind-blowing; it really is. Yixing has never felt so connected to someone, and the way Lu Han rolls his hips makes the pleasure that much more wonderful. Lu Han kisses Yixing to muffle his moans, soft and passionate. Every now and then Yixing catches a whisper of “I love you” between Lu Han’s heavy breaths, and Yixing believes it. He really, truly believes it.  
  
He moves a hand between them to stroke at Lu Han’s cock, and Lu Han cries out with pleasure, bucking his hips faster and faster. Yixing feels himself reaching his climax, and Lu Han won’t stop bucking against Yixing’s hand.  
  
“Xing, Xing, I’m so close,” Lu Han cries, but Yixing doesn’t give Lu Han warning before he comes for a second time that night. He sees white-hot behind his eyes as he closes them in bliss, feeling all his limbs tighten and then relax, and still enjoying the heat of Lu Han’s body against his. It is undoubtedly the best he’s ever had.  
  
Lu Han comes soon after, spilling all over their stomachs as he kisses Yixing through his orgasm. “I love you,” he pants. “And I’ll never ever stop, okay? You’re...” he catches his breath. “You’re mine and I’m yours and I never want to leave you.”  
  
“Finally you understand how I feel,” Yixing says weakly, and Lu Han laughs. He pulls himself off Yixing and discards the condom, wiping them off with a few tissues before crawling back into his bed and pulling Yixing into a hug under the covers.  
  
“So...you missed dancing a lot, huh?” Lu Han asks, and Yixing chuckles, kissing Lu Han’s neck.  
  
“Yeah,” he says, “I did.”  
  
“You were always amazing on stage,” Lu Han replies with a gentle smile. “I’m glad to see you happy.”  
  
Yixing nestles his neck into the crook of Lu Han’s shoulder and smiles back. “You make me happy, too,” he whispers.  
  
  
  
  
When Yixing wakes up, the first thing he thinks is that it was all a dream. It had been a nice dream, he muses, and he’s about to move onto the next thought when he registers that he is in fact still completely nude and Lu Han is sleeping soundly next to him, also quite bare.  
  
It hadn’t been a dream after all, and Yixing is so glad that this is reality because no dream he’s ever had could match this. He smiles to himself, snuggling up to Lu Han, who unconsciously puts an arm around his best friend-turned-lover. Then, Yixing panics because ohmygod what if Lu Han wakes up and completely changes his mind? What if he doesn’t want Yixing anymore and realises that everything was a big mistake?  
  
Carefully, he slips out of bed, making sure not to wake Lu Han up. He takes a long shower and mulls over the night’s events under the hot spray. He had confessed to his best friend, and Lu Han had reciprocated. What if Lu Han only reciprocated because he was caught up in the moment, Yixing thinks miserably. He has been in love with Lu Han for so long that anything other than one-sided pining seems too good to be true.  
  
It isn’t until the spray hurts cold that Yixing steps out of the shower. He has used up all the hot water and now, Tao is probably going to kill him before breakfast. He begrudging returns to his own room to slip on fresh clothes, then trudges into the kitchen. To his surprise, the room is empty.  
  
“Kris?” he calls tentatively? “Zitao?”  
  
There is no answer. In fact, there is no sign that the two had even come back the night before except for the dirty dishes in the sink. Three minutes later, he finds a note stuck on the orange juice carton.  
  
Kris is taking me shopping. We would have invited you two but we didn’t want to disturb. Will be back around noon ~ Tao  
  
Yixing checks the clock displayed on the microwave and sees 11:02 AM. He wonders if he should take breakfast or lunch, but settles with popping two poptarts into the toaster and pouring himself more juice. At that moment, Lu Han stumbles out of his bedroom, clad only in a pair of black boxers and rubbing sleep from his eyes. Yixing gulps and looks away.  
  
“Morning,” Lu Han says, walking over to Yixing unabashedly. He wraps his arms around Yixing’s waist and kisses his cheek and Yixing thinks that maybe he was being overly pessimistic.  
  
“Hi,” Yixing replies, unable to look into Lu Han’s face.  
  
“Where are Kris and Tao?”  
  
Yixing points at the note on the counter. “Out,” he says shortly.  
  
Lu Han reads over the note before frowning at Yixing. “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”  
  
Yixing sighs. Of course, after being his best friend for so many years, Lu Han would be able to pick up on his moods right away.  
  
“I was just worried that - in the morning, you wouldn’t ...” His voice trails off in embarrassment.  
  
Lu Han gives him an incredulous look. “Yixing, I was serious about you last night, I’m serious about you now, and I will continue to be serious about you in the future. I really do love you.”  
  
By then, Yixing’s face is ten shades of red. “I know,” he replies softly. “Sorry.”  
  
“You don’t need to be insecure,” Lu Han continues. “You’re sweet and adorable and smart and talented and gorgeous and so good in bed.” Yixing chokes on his juice, but Lu Han barrels on. “I love everything about you, Yixing.” He steps forward, wrapping Yixing up in his arms.  
  
When Lu Han connects their lips and ghosts a hand down Yixing’s back, Yixing figures that brunch can wait.  
  
Lu Han topples Yixing over onto the couch, kissing him insistently. “You’re beautiful,” he says. Yixing smiles up at him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders as he kisses Lu Han back.  
  
“You are too,” Yixing chuckles. Lu Han’s fingers skitter up under Yixing’s loose shirt, and Lu Han presses kisses up Yixing’s jaw.  
  
“Is this okay?” Lu Han asks, looking concerned. “Xing, I want you.” He laughs an embarrassed chuckle, but Yixing just takes off his own shirt in response.  
  
“Yes,” Yixing replies, and Lu Han grins. He kisses Yixing again, sliding his hand oh-so-slowly down Yixing’s navel. Yixing arches up from the suede of the couch into Lu Han’s body, and Lu Han takes advantage of the position to pull off Yixing’s pajama pants.  
  
In the light of the morning, Lu Han can see all of Yixing, and it just makes him want to kiss everywhere that much more. He does, for that reason. Yixing giggles as Lu Han kisses up his sides and down the insides of his thighs, but Lu Han just loves hearing his laughter.  
  
He loves the feeling of his skin against Yixing’s - and he doesn’t think about how this could affect their friendship because it already has - in the best kind of way. He presses his lips to every inch of Yixing’s body, taking brief moments to whisper his feelings to his beautiful partner in crime.  
  
Yixing makes tiny, almost imperceptible little moans as he responds beautifully to Lu Han’s kisses and touches. Every now and then Lu Han teases Yixing’s balls, but never gives him quite enough. He wants Lu Han’s hands all over him, but his cock is aching to be touched.  
  
“Lu,” he says in a gravelly voice, “please.”  
  
And Lu Han doesn’t feel like teasing. He wants to give everything to Yixing, so he does. He touches Yixing slowly and languidly, making sure Yixing knows he’s being treasured and pampered. Lu Han loves the sounds Yixing makes when he swallows them up with a deep kiss. He has a packet of lube and a condom in the pocket of his backpack, which is sitting on the floor next to the couch. He rifles through the backpack’s contents and pulls them out, climbing back up onto the couch. As he lubes up his fingers, Yixing smiles adorably, his dimple showing.  
  
"I'm so glad this isn't a dream," he says, and Lu Han falls in love all over again. He presses a slicked up finger to Yixing's entrance, letting him adjust slowly until the finger is in to the knuckle. He strokes Yixing's insides gently, and Yixing lets out a little squeak of pleasure before Lu Han adds another finger.  
  
Yixing is so responsive to Lu Han's touches, but what Lu Han loves the most is that Yixing never stops smiling. It's as if he's in heaven, as if he's living a recurring dream. Lu Han wants to make sure Yixing knows that he can have this whenever he wants, however he wants, because honestly, it feels like a dream to Lu Han too.  
  
He rolls the condom on and slicks himself up as well, pressing into Yixing slowly. He starts with a few shallow thrusts that have Yixing sighing in pleasure before pushing in further. It's languid and comfortable, and their low, soft moans intermingle with each other as Lu Han rolls his hips at an easy pace. It's not frantic like the sex they'd had the night before; now it feels like they're closer than ever.  
  
Yixing is tight and hot around Lu Han, his walls clenching with every slow thrust from Lu Han. It's not long until they're both teetering over the edge.  
  
Yixing pulls Lu Han down for a kiss, and when Lu Han changes the angle inside Yixing, it's over for him. He comes hard as he gasps into Yixing's mouth.  
  
A few minutes later, Yixing comes too, and it had only taken a few slow tugs from Lu Han. Lu Han pulls away to grab a few tissues, cleaning them off, and then he climbs back on the couch. He sits next to Yixing and leans against the armrest, pulling him close. They're still slightly sticky, but neither of them minds as they sit on the couch and cuddle.  
  
"This is better than a dream," Lu Han says with a smile.  
  
"Yeah," Yixing sighs contentedly.  
  
They sit like that for a long time, Lu Han carding his fingers through Yixing’s hair as they mumble sweet nothings to each other. Yixing falls asleep against Lu Han’s shoulder, and Lu Han too is about to nod off when he hears the door click open.  
  
Tao and Kris walk in with Jongin on their heels, and they’re talking animatedly about something until they turn towards the sight in the living room.  
  
“Oh for - for fuck’s sake!” Kris cries, covering his eyes, and Tao promptly turns around. “Cover that shit up! Like - yes, okay, we’re happy for you, but damn, we do not need to see that.”  
  
Jongin’s just laughing knowingly as he gives Lu Han a thumbs up and a genuine grin, and Lu Han is inexplicably happy to have Jongin’s blessing.  
  
Jongin walks over and grabs a blanket, throwing it to Lu Han, who covers himself and Yixing as well before telling Tao and Kris it’s safe to look again.  
  
“Congratulations, dimwit,” Tao says disdainfully, still determinedly avoiding letting his eyes go anywhere near Lu Han and Yixing. “You finally realize how you feel about him.”  
  
“Yeah,” Lu Han replies with a smile as he gazes down at Yixing’s sleeping form. Kris smiles proudly and claps Jongin on the back.  
  
“It’s all thanks to you, stranger,” Kris says with a grin, and Jongin laughs.  
  
“People dance better when they’re happy,” Jongin replies, “and Lu Han is what makes Yixing happy. I could see that easily and all I had to do was convince him a little.”  
  
“And I’m glad you did,” Tao says matter-of-factly, “but I wish they hadn’t taken it to heart so seriously because now we can’t use this couch anymore.”  
  
Lu Han glares at Tao, who can’t see him glaring back, but Jongin and Kris just laugh. “I guess that means we should head for California soon, then, hm?” Kris asks, and Tao perks up.  
  
“The beach!” he yells excitedly, pumping his fist in the air. Yixing wakes slowly and smiles a dazed smile at the group.  
  
“Hi,” he says, and they all laugh because Yixing just sounds so content with his life.  
  
“How do you feel, Xing?” Kris asks, and Yixing looks up at Lu Han.  
  
“Complete,” Yixing replies and Lu Han’s about ready to jump Yixing again. He kisses him instead, paying no heed to the obnoxious gagging sounds Tao is making.


	18. Malibu, CA

They are on I-15, enroute to LA when Yixing gets the call. He is on his back in the back seat of Kris' Cayenne, head in Lu Han's lap when his phone rings. He sits up so fast that he almost smashes into Lu Han's nose.  
  
"Hello?" he answers with mild trepidation.  
  
"Is this Mr. Zhang Yixing?" a brisk female voice asks.  
  
"Yes," he replies, closing his eyes. It's the dance company. This is it.  
  
There is a pregnant pause, which feels like the longest few seconds of Yixing's life.  
  
"On behalf of EXO entertainment, I would like to congratulate you on your successful audition. I welcome you as one of the four new members chosen to join the company through this audition cycle. I will be sending an email with some information to the address you provided with your registration. I see that you are from New York, Mr. Zhang. Are you back? Or still in Las Vegas?"  
  
Yixing looks up to find three pairs of eyes on him. Even Kris, who is driving, has his eyes on Yixing in the rearview mirror.  
  
"I'm actually headed to Los Angeles, ma'am," he answers, voice breaking.  
  
At that, the woman cheers up. "Perfect," she says. "We would like you to come into our company to look over a contract in three days time. The information will all be in that email. Any questions?"  
  
Yixing only has one. "Ma'am, I auditioned with a friend, and I was wondering if - Kim Jongin?"  
  
The woman sighs. "I'm not supposed to divulge this information, but I suspect you'll be getting a call from your friend in about five minutes anyway. Please just let me break the good news to him first."  
  
Good news? That must mean -  
  
"Thank you so much," Yixing gushes.  
  
When he hangs up the phone, three pairs of eyes are still watching him expectantly.  
  
"I made it!" Yixing exclaims, reaching forward to high-five Tao.  
  
Kris lets out a bated breath. "I'm so proud of you, Yixing. Dancing has always been your dream and I'm glad you're doing this."  
  
"Congratulations," Lu Han adds, looking away. Outside, there is only desert and blue, cloudless sky.  
  
Something with his tone is very, very wrong.  
  
"Han?"  
  
"So you're going to stay in LA and leave me in New York? Now? Right after we - "  
  
Yixing does not need him to finish his sentence.  
  
The rest of the drive is silent so Kris turns on the radio to make things less awkward. The station plays music that none of them likes, but no one speaks up. Yixing is just glad that Lu Han still has his hands in his hair. That must be a good sign. Although he is not sure how Lu Han feels, he knows that he, for one, does not want to let whatever they have between them go so soon.  
  
"Where are we staying?" Kris asks as they start seeing signs for Los Angeles up ahead.  
  
Lu Han makes to get up and Yixing begrudging sits up. "Did you forget that we bought a place in Carbon Beach last summer?" he says, reaching for the GPS. "Parents spent 4.5 million on a beach house to use a month per year because mom was tired of the Hamptons. Anyway, no one is there now."  
  
"Isn't that in Malibu?" Kris asks. "What about LA?"  
  
"We can go back later," Tao decides. "I want to go to the beach."  
  
After pressing the "Go" button, Lu Han leans back in his seat. Yixing wants to put his head back down on Lu Han's lap, but something about Lu Han's stiff body position tells him that he shouldn't.  
  
The beach house that the Lu's had bought was a monstrosity with 100 feet of beach access.  
  
"Yo this is pretty sweet," Kris whistles as they move through the dining room that looks out at the water through thick glass. Tao has already thrown his shirt aside, focused solely on the sand and the ocean.  
  
As Yixing makes to follow, Lu Han pulls him back by the hand. He stays silent as the other two head out onto the beach, looking down at his feet as the glass door closes with a soft click. Yixing can feel his heart beating heavily against his chest in dread. Is this going to be the part where Lu Han turns away?  
  
"I can transfer after a semester," Lu Han says finally. "I don't even like NYU that much anyway, and the UC schools have good business programs as well. If I'm at Berkeley, we can at least see each other on weekends and UCLA has a decent business school too."  
  
"You'd do that for me?" Yixing breathes, catching Lu Han's chin between his fingers and forcing him to look up.  
  
"I love you," Lu Han says, voice full of confidence. "I want us to be together, Yixing."  
  
For once, Lu Han's eyes are unguarded as he nods and Yixing reads him like an open book, full of hope, anticipation, and want.  
  
Yixing's breath catches in his throat. "Okay," he says, getting lost in Lu Han's eyes.  
  
Together, they join Tao and Kris on the beach, hand in hand. The future has never looked so bright.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you were curious about who wrote what:  
> Prologue - annie  
> New York, NY - annie  
> Princeton, NJ - annie  
> Philadephia, PA - annie  
> Baltimore, MD - eexiee  
> Washington, DC - eexiee  
> Virginia Beach, VA - eexiee  
> Charlotte, NC - eexiee  
> Atlanta, GA - annie  
> Mountainville, GA - annie  
> New Orleans, LA - eexiee  
> Millersburg, MS - annie  
> Memphis, TN - eexiee  
> Kansas City, MO - eexiee  
> Greentown, KS - eexiee  
> Denver, CO - eexiee  
> Las Vegas, NV - annie, except for the smut which was eexiee  
> Malibu, CA - annie


End file.
